Homecoming Book 2
by SupremeEpicHeavyMetalSince1977
Summary: Tenebrae has gotten herself into trouble. Demetri's in hospital, Cain- the oldest wolf alive- visits the family and her mom's old boyfriend reappears to claim her again. Can she sort her life out before it sorts her?


**Chapter 1**

I don't know how I got here or I can't remember. My head's throbbing like never before. I was in a room, just white. There was no furniture apart from the wooden bed I was on and two doors. One of the doors was open and leads to a different room, it was on the side nearest to me. The other door was shut and opposite me. I get up without thinking and stroll towards the open door. It was a bathroom like my old house's but much, much cleaner that it sparkled. I then went over to the shut door. I push it, nothing. There was no handle on my side so I couldn't pull it. I look around the room. No window and complete emptiness.

"At last you're awake. It's been two months since your blackout." A voice out of nowhere says. Two arms wrap around my waist and lips press against my neck. I push myself away. It was Jay; I remember this person and what he is.

"Where am I, Jay? Why take me here?"

"So you remember me and my reputation. Don't you remember Demetri and his family yet? It takes time, I know but I'm eager to see if you do remember."

"Answer my questions first!" I shout, holding back the surprise when all the memories come flooding back. I had a broken leg, Demetri saved me from Jay, April was giving birth when Jay came and stole me.

"You're in a secure location where they can't find you. I took you here because I didn't want the poisons of the world to either have or harm you."

"Demetri and his family where never trying to have or harm me. You almost raped and bit me. What are you? I saw you transform into a wolf. That's impossible."

"They were trying to keep me away from my life mate and they were poisoning your mind, especially Demetri. I'm a shape-shifter, but I only transform when I'm angry or when I'm trying to protect my life mate. Nothing's impossible if you think about it." He strides towards me and I fall over thin air. I look at my leg and there was a scar from when Jay bit me but nothing else. How was it healed?

"You're trying to poison my mind right now! Demetri never hurt me, never even laid a bad finger on me but you did! You bit me! You tried to rape me!"

"I bit you because I didn't want you to leave! I'm not repeating it."

"I'm not your life mate or whatever! I'm not Demetri's either!" I stand up quickly. "You remember that bit." A smile lights his face. What was so funny about that? Soul mates don't exist, neither do life mates. Jay's out his head. Yes, he can turn into a wolf with most of his friends. It should be impossible but it happened right in front of my eyes, so I believe that werewolves exist. If Jay and his friends were werewolves, aren't Demetri and his family? I shake my head and concentrate on Jay for now. Once I escape, I'll find my way back and question Demetri.

"Let me go, Jay! I just want to go home!" I try to push past him.

"What home? You haven't got a home now." Wow, that cut deep. I pause in my step and stare at the floor. He's right. What home do I have? I'm homeless as well as broke. My mom ran off and sold the house before telling me and Demetri took me into his care until I got better then, where would I stay or crash until I got my own place? I didn't have anywhere or anyone apart from myself and the rough streets. I wasn't going to live on the streets because of the abuse you get. I don't move yet. What Jay said had cut very deep. "All you've got is me. I want to take you in, love you and care for you." He places his hands on my arms and made his face level with mine.

"That is the worse bullshit I have ever heard. You are like rapists; all you want is sexual pleasures from innocent, young people. I've got news for you, you ain't gonna get any of me." I swing my fist towards him and it catches his chin. I hold my hand in pain as he growls and straighten up. I feel his hand connect with my rib cage and then, a wall. He had hit me and I'd gone flying into the wall near the bed. Jay has hold of me by the time I stand up and growls into my ear.

"I am nothing like them. I don't want sexual pleasures with you; I don't even want to rape you. I just want to love you for the rest of eternity." It was a deep, throaty growl. I squirm under him, grimacing that he was pinning me against the wall with all his body and strength. "If you want me to gain any of my sexual pleasures or fantasies, I'll happily do that." His breath made the hair on the back of my neck stand on edge.

"No. I'd prefer it if you didn't. I'm happy as I am. Please let me go, Jay. I just want to go back to normal life and get away from all of this." Damn! I nearly told him I was a virgin! Glad I didn't.

"You have no chance of getting away from me." He lets go of me and stands back. "I bet I do. You can't keep me here forever." I stumble back onto the bed and lie down for a minute. Jay stands over me; I can feel he wants to fuck me. His bulge in his trousers gives it away pretty clearly. I turn my head away, disgusted with it "I can. I've got a lifetime of supplies for you." Jay fights a smile and a laugh. "Even for your monthlies." He adds under his breathe. I am so ready to beat the living shit out of him now but he'll win hands down. I sit up and face him.

"Shut the fuck up. You are so lucky you are a shape-shifter. If you weren't so strong, I'd beat the living shit outta you and you won't be able to fuck for the rest of your life." I spit at him.

I notice the door that wasn't open earlier was now open. There was a crash of wood and glass through the door. Jay turns on his heel and walks towards the other corner on the same wall as me. I stretch as I stand up and walk towards the bathroom. Jay watches my every step. I feel my heart beating so fast even I couldn't believe it. The adrenaline was pumping through my veins, fuelling me for my daredevil stunt. I sprint to the open door and I make it out of the room. Outside my room, it was a huge living room beneath it. I jump over the railings and land without any injury. Next, I run for the front or back door. Two arms wrap around my waist and lift me up. I scream.

Jay pins me against the ground and anger flamed his eyes. I struggle again but he presses me harder against the floor.

"How come I knew you was going to do that and yet, I didn't stop you? It must be because I wanted to see if you were brave enough or your scent of fear slowed my thinking down." He laughs against my neck before he presses a kiss to it.

"Get off me, Jay! I don't disserve to live in torture!" I scream again.

"Looks like you've got yourself a screamer, mate." Someone joked. I look for the person; it was one of the people/wolves who were there when Jay almost raped me. Jay laughs dryly.

"Shut up and help me get her back in her room. The bitch is trying to escape from me." Jay tells him as he keeps hold of my arms and stands.

"Whoa, hell no. I'm not gonna help you, she's your problem, your life mate." The person turns and strolls away when there are cheers of shouts.

"Thanks, Tyson!" Jay laughs and places me over his shoulder. I knee him in the chest but he doesn't collapse.

**Chapter 2**

He thrusts me against the wall. "Tenebrae, I'd stop struggling if I was you. You're just turning me on, not hurting me. Carry on turning me on and I'll fuck you here and now, I wouldn't give a shit with who would see or hear. I'd just fuck you until you're exhausted, even then I'd carry on fucking you. So, it's your choice. Stop turning me on and I won't fuck you or, carry on and you'll regret what you unleashed." There was a defiant level of challenge in his voice, full of promise also.

"Okay, I'll stop turning you on but you have to let me explore the area." "No deal. I'm not letting you out of that room until I know I can trust you not to run away." Jay takes my hand forcefully in his and marches me back upstairs. I scowl at him behind his back. I really, really wanted to kill him at this exact moment. Probably not as much as Demetri for taking me away while under his protection. There was a loud crash of glass, Jay quickly sweeps me up and forces me inside the room. He locks the door. The sound of screeching tires made my heart beat faster. Was this Demetri? I run to the door and growls filled the air outside the room. I run back to the bed and force myself furthest away from the wall. Whoever Jay was fighting out there were just as dangerous as he was and probably more.

I bring my knees up to my chest and try to block out the growls and the screams. I just want it all to stop, for it to be a dream. _This isn't real,_ I tell myself. _This is all just a dream. A bad, vivid dream which came along because I watched a rotten horror film with Daniel and fell asleep._ I tell myself over and over again.

The loud slam of a door being kicked open wakes me. My eyes flutter open than snap shut when the light was too bright. I groan and stretch my arm over my head to cover my eyes. "Keep your fucking filthy hands off her!" Jay's voice growls. Two arms lift me. "I said keep your…" His sentence trails as my eyes land on him. Demetri's mom and dad were holding Jay back, a silver collar around his neck. I turn to see Isis and two other people next to her. Kaleb was also standing next to her. I turn my head and I couldn't see the person whose arms I was in. I didn't need to, it was Demetri. I lift my head up and brush back a piece of his hair. The black silk of which is his hair was now crusted with blood.

His eyes didn't loose their sparkle or the sea blue. His features were tauter and his body told me that he was ready to fight again if anyone tried to take me away from him again. I bury my head into his shoulder.

"Thank you." I mutter, knowing that he would hear it. Jay had gotten out of Demetri's parents grip but the collar was short and Jay choked. Relief flood through me. At least Jay would be away from me and he won't be able to try to get me. The soft breeze hits me, the smell of freshly cut grass and mountain dew heightens my senses. I search around the area; we were near the mountains in a pine forest. Two Jeeps lie in front of the house. Demetri walks towards the front one.

Placing me in the backseat, he closes the doors, locking them, and then sat next to me. His eyes were grim and so was his face. "Demetri," I breathe.

"Tenebrae, I'm sorry for not trying to get you but there was nothing I could do. April was giving birth and if I did go after you, I would've hurt you more." Demetri's voice was full of relief and yet, guilt.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Demetri, I have so many questions but I don't know where to start." I place a hand on his shoulder and shake my head. "You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for and it's my entire fault. I'm the one who is sorry. I'm sorry for overreacting that night and running."

"I wish you didn't overreact on that night also." His smile was taut and forced. I take my hand away from him and stare down at my leg. I suddenly notice that all I'm wearing is my underwear.

"Where are my clothes?" I blurt. Demetri's laugh flows freely.

"I wondered when you were going to notice that. I don't know. I have some spare clothes for you in the trunk, I'll go get them."

"No, I can't be assed with get dressed now. I'm too comfy to move and too warm." I relax into the chair and close my eyes, letting my arm rest across my stomach and let my other arm slack against the car door.

The car door unlocks and then the click of what sounded like the trunk opened. I feel myself shiver and my breathe coming in short pants. Then, something soft covers me. It takes a minute but I begin to get warm again. There were shouts and mutterings from outside the car. I only heard two words in Demetri's voice, a low snarl towards Jay.

"…life mate…" I blacked out shortly after hearing that, the bottomless pit of sleep drawing me in until I couldn't do anything but give in.

"You know what's going to happen now, don't you Demetri?" Isis's voice rings through my head. I open my eyes and we were still in the Jeep. Demetri sat next to me, Isis in the front seat. I sit myself up into a more comfortable position and stare at them both. Their faces were with fear and anger.

"Yes. He will pay for it with his life. I'm going to kill him if she turns into what he is."

"There's a chance that she might not, there's still hope." Isis eyes flicker over to me. "But, if she does turn into what he is, we have to train her to control it. I'm not going to let another person die tonight or for the rest of the week."

"I know. I'll train her, she's my responsibility."

"You're not strong enough! Do you know how powerful new shifter-wolves can be? I know, so does April, mom, dad, Kaleb, Thorn, Quinn, grandpa and grandma and Kyle. You have no experience at all; therefore, we all decided to keep you, Lucas and Marco in a separate building while we're training if she does turn." Isis sighs deeply as Demetri growls. He clutches the seat, ripping it. The car stops and Isis grabs Demetri by the neck, pushing him out of the car. I get out the other side and watch.

"You can't do that! I understand why Marco and Lucas but me?" Pure anger stained Demetri's voice. It was deeper and I can see his blue eyes turning deep.

"We're putting you in a separate building because we don't want you interfering with the process. You're too attached to her as it is, you'll just ruin the whole training if we let you see her like what Jay is. You can punish Jay anyway you want but you're not allowed to see Tenebrae during the training."

"What evidence is there to show that I'm attached to her?" He struggles to keep his voice calm. He turns his head towards me. I gasp and turn away, dropping the blanket and running. "Tenebrae!" He shouts, chasing after me. They're talking about me! I might become a shifter-wolf. The legends are true, if you're bitten by a shifter in wolf form, you become a shifter-wolf! Oh God, why did Jay have to bite me? Why were we limited to only one creature though? I want that answer. I trip over a tree root and fall to the ground. "Tenebrae…" Demetri lifts me up and stares at me.

"Get off me! I'm not going to become what Jay is! I'm not!" I shout hysterically. "Why were you listening?"

"You were talking about me! Why wouldn't I listen?" I push myself away from him. He leans against a tree and shake his head.

"For crying out loud, woman! Come on, it's too cold out here. Let's get you home and warmed up then we'll talk about this." He holds out his hand. I push myself away. "Tenebrae, you're going to freeze out here in just your underwear."

"I won't because I'll have fur all over me." I spit at him, Demetri sits down in front of me. "Just go home. I'll be alright. Should be enough wildlife out here for me to feed on."

"We're not doing this just for your safety; we're doing for the safety of the people in surrounding villages, towns and visitors to this place." He stares into my eyes and waits for my reply. We both say nothing; I turn my head away after a couple of minutes staring into his eyes. The horns from the Jeep stop when Demetri raises his middle finger towards them. I trace the bite mark on my leg; I couldn't imagine myself turning into a wolf. The baring teeth, the fur, the nozzle, the claws and the difference in the senses. Heightened taste, hearing, feeling, smelling and seeing. I wouldn't be able to cope with the new abilities.

Demetri grabs my hand from my scar and keeps it in his for a minute. I feel a burning desire being relit in the bottom of my heart and stomach. Demetri and his family risked their lives to come and save me and look how I'm repaying them! I raise my gaze and Demetri's eyes were still locked on me. I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. I try again but still, no words or sounds would come out. Demetri stands up, my hand still in his. I take my hand out of his, not because I didn't want to let him go, but because Isis was coming.

"Come on, we need to get out of here. Jay won't be asleep for much longer and April's on her own looking after two children." She snaps. Demetri nods.

"Right." He holds my wrist and we go back to the Jeeps. I go back to my place and Demetri sits next to me again, placing the blanket over me. I stare out of the window. Silence begins to feel the car slowly, the tension between all of us adds to its concoction. It's like mine and Demetri's little fights. We'd either end it with a joke and then we'd be like nothing's happened or I or Demetri (mostly Demetri) will turn on the cold shoulder to each other. But, it's more serious and I'm in danger or in the middle of it. Isis turns on the stereo and I look towards Demetri. "You should get some more sleep; you look like a rag doll." He tells me, I smile slightly. I sit myself up and stare out of the windshield.

"No. I don't want to sleep. I've slept for two months; I've had enough of sleeping." I lean my head against the passenger headrest.

"Okay, if you fall asleep again halfway through a step, you've only got yourself to blame." Demetri turns his head towards the window, resting his chin on his hand. "You should really try not to argue with him. Demetri refused to sleep until he had found you and that means he searched all day and night. He didn't rest once. Don't argue with him, Tenebrae." Isis murmurs.

"He didn't rest once while searching for me?"

"No." Her answer was short but it explained everything. I really meant a whole lot to Demetri and probably, I was his life mate. I still don't believe it but I might be.

I sit back and rest my head on his shoulder under his arm. He turns his head, astonished at me.

"You can sleep now. Sleep all you want." I mutter into his ear. Demetri stares at Isis, who kept her eyes on the road, and then switches his gaze to me. He stays quiet.

**Chapter 3**

"She had no right to tell you that." He snaps at me when we were in his room. I was sitting on his bed while he paced up and down his room. I go to the wardrobe and pull out a pair of clean underwear, jeans and a top.

"I don't know why she told me, she just did." I stand up and pull my jeans up. "Why did you search for me non-stop?" I had already figured that part out, pulling the top down. It was really Demetri's top but I really couldn't be bothered to get mine.

"You should know already, you're a smart girl."

"So, the life mate shit is true. You must be what Jay is then, the whole family. The way you walk, your abilities, agilities and the way you act is everything Jay had and he was a shifter-wolf. You all were protective over me, Lucas and April which are qualities of a wolf. You're too quick, strong and graceful to be just a mortal human like me. Is that why you saved me in the forest from Jay that night, because I was your life mate?"

"Yes! We're all what Jay is but we're doing good and our instinct. I knew you'd figure it out sooner or later. We're monsters! I'm a monster!" He begins to quiver. "I saved you because you were my life mate but I didn't know that until I'd actually seen you. I saved you out of pure instinct before anything else." Demetri places his hands against his temples. I quickly rush to him; placing both hands on his shoulders and making him sit on the bed. Underneath my hands, I could feel his bones cracking and breaking before growing. I quickly rush to the door but it was locked. The sound of bones popping, breaking and his howls of pain made my stomach churn and tears come to my eyes.

I cover my ears and slide down to a ball next to the door. No, this certainly can't be happening. Demetri can't be changing into a wolf; his bones can't be breaking and then healing again. A bark breaks my barriers. I look up and a black wolf with blue eyes was staring at me. I wipe my tears away and go onto all fours. "Demetri?" I ask cautiously. The wolf comes a step closer. "Can you hear me?" He/it comes charging towards me but not in a predatory way, in a playful way. He pushes me back and stares down at me. "You're still there but in a different form." I say, running my hands in his fur. He gets off me and I sit up.

I couldn't believe it. My Demetri was still there but he was just in a different form. My secret love was still human inside. I let out a grin. He was just like a pet dog but bigger and more built for the outdoors. I run to the window and there were two cars arriving. I let the smile drop. "It's Tuesday, there shouldn't be anyone arriving." I turn towards Demetri, still in wolf form, and send his a questioning glance. The door is kicked open.

"Tenebrae, someone wants to see you." Isis tells me before glancing at the wolf. "Demetri, get back to human form before you hurt someone. You need to control your temper better." She mutters before leaving.

"I wonder who the people could be." I question myself to distract me from Demetri changing form again. I turn around to find that he was wearing different clothes from last time. Same jeans but a _The Jam_ t-shirt on this time.

"I don't know but I don't like the vibes they're giving off." He leads the way. Downstairs, there was silence. In the living room, Demetri's mom and dad and April with Marco were sat on one sofa while the triplets filled the other. Isis was sat on a chair next to mom. There was a single head on the sofa that wasn't facing me and Demetri. He grabs two chairs and places them firmly next to the triplets.

I take step by step towards the sofa with the single head. Demetri places a hand on my arm and pushes me past him. I stay standing, Demetri did also. I couldn't breathe, I was so… so… there isn't even a word for it! Disgusted is the closest I can get to it and horrified with who was sat on the sofa. Three other people entered the living room, arms crossed and blocking the exits.

"Mom, what the fuck are you doing here?" I managed to blurt out. Her face had always aged quicker than usual and her betraying eyes never shone. "Tenebrae, I've come to take you home." Her voice is as withered as her lies. "Don't tell me fucking lies again! I know you ain't here to take me home because you sold it and ran off with that sod you called a boyfriend! How did you find me and why are you really here?" Tears begin to run down my face in anger.

"I am here to take you home. I've got us a nicer house near to here and one of your friends told me that you were here."

"I'm going to kick the living shit outta Daniel when I see him!" I look at the three men again. "Why have you decided to come back? I thought you were with your boyfriend."

"He reminded me too much of your father and I wanted to escape those memories so, I came back here and bought a bigger, nicer house near here."

"Too late, mom. I want to get rid of those memories of those days but it ain't gonna happen. I'm not moving back in with you and you can sell that house and move the fuck away. You abandoned me! Fuck off to England or wherever, just as long you're away from me!" I storm towards the front door but Demetri pulls me back before the man blocking that exit could step forward.

"That's how you really feel?"

"Yes, I have done since I was little. Why are these men here?"

"They're here to make sure I don't get hurt. He's very protective over me. There are four more men blocking outside, I don't know why outside."

"Who's protective over you?"

"You weren't always the smart one." A deep voice interrupts. "Exactly like your mom. A little like your dad, but not much." Two hands clasp my mom's shoulders. I glare up at the comments and I see the person was Max. I quickly stumble away from him and nearly land into the fireplace. The triplets, Demetri and Isis stand around me. "So, you remember me. How couldn't you? We had such a close relationship that it was remarkable." A tight, evil smile touches his lips.

Max was one of my mom's ex-boyfriend after dad was killed and he used to hit me for nothing when my mom wasn't around. I still have scars from when he attacked me with a knife, slicing my back. I use to hate him and I still do. I did tell my mom, she never listened. "I see you've grown up well. Would you like to introduce me to your boyfriend and his family? I'll introduce my partners." Demetri growls at him. We weren't together!

"This is Max; one of my mom's boyfriends after my dad got killed. Max used to beat me up when my mom wasn't around. She always believed his word over mine so, he carried on beating me up for nothing." I introduce Max to them. Demetri's parents get up and stand next to me and Demetri.

"That's very brave to tell a lie as big as that. Anyway, these are my partners. They're here with me to make sure my fiancée is safe and out of harms way. I know what you all are and you know what I am."

"We'll take Tenebrae's word over yours any day. She has stayed with us long enough for us to trust her and to get to know her." Demetri's mom speaks out.

"Why are you here? We have no business with you!" Demetri asks.

"My fiancée wanted to see her daughter before the wedding and she wanted me to come too. Aren't you going to ask her, love?" He presses a kiss to my mom's head.

"Tenebrae, would you like to be bridesmaid at our wedding?" My mom questions. I feel all the blood rush from my head towards my feet.

"No. Don't marry him, mom! If you do marry, I'm not moving back in with you both! I feel like I've got a family here and I'm not going to let you two ruin it! I feel loved and it feels wonderful, I don't want it to stop." Demetri's mom and dad, Isis and the triplets place a hand on my shoulders. Demetri wraps an arm around my waist and his stare towards my soon-to-be parents was hard and cold.

"I've always loved you; I've always been your family."

"You might have but you've not shown it. As you can see, they love me as I much as I now love them. I see the Cicada family as my own and I think they see me as another sister or daughter and they love me. Mom, I've never felt loved from you. You shouted at me for doing nothing, you abandoned me all the time and you ran away with men, leaving me on my own! No, I don't want to be bridesmaid at your fucking stupid wedding, I don't want to attend it and I certainly don't want to see the pair of you ever again."

"You don't mean that, surely. Of course you want to be bridesmaid, attend the wedding, move back in with us and see us again."

"No, I really don't. All I have is bad memories when I see you or any of your exes. From now on, I'm not your daughter and you're not my mom. To me, you are Leanne Amethyst and to you, I am Tenebrae Amethyst. We're two different people with similar names." I swivel my head around and the Cicada family smile at me. Demetri tightens his grip, his glare becoming harder and colder.

"You can't do that! I'm your Mother! I'm allowed to see you, to speak to you and to visit you!" My mom struts up to me, Demetri holding himself back. Just.

"Not anymore. I don't want to see or speak to you anymore. We have no business with each other now. This is goodbye, Leanne." I keep my mom's stare. Tears flow down her cheeks. She opens her mouth then closes it before turning and walking away. The four men apart from Max leaving with her.

"You've defiantly grown stronger in all areas, Tenebrae. We shall see each other again no doubt. We're all wolves and we're territorial with each other and land, so, there will be fights between us for land and mates." His eyes scan me as he said that last word. A growl escapes Demetri.

"No, there won't. We all know our boundaries and life mates." Demetri voice cuts in before anyone else can speak.

"Tenebrae's mom isn't my life mate. Tenebrae's yours, Kaleb is April's, your mom's is your dad and Kyle's got his girlfriend."

"Yes, most of us have. You'd better go and find yours then instead of using the loved ones of my family and mate for blackmailing"

"I wish Tenebrae was my life mate, lucky git. She's such a beauty, ain't she? Kind, sensitive, idiotic, beautiful and she has a perfect figure." His eyes twinkle as she fights a smile.

"I'm not idiotic. You haven't got proof of that." I step forward; Demetri's grip tightens around my waist again.

"Tenebrae, you don't remember much of your childhood, do you?"

"Not fully but most of it. If you can call my past a childhood." I turn my head towards Demetri, closing my eyes for a moment, fighting back the tears.

"Good, that's an example of you being idiotic."

Max laughs at Demetri when he lets out a growl, sounding protective over me. "I will challenge you and your family for land and I will defiantly challenge you for your life mate." Max points his finger at Demetri then a wink towards me. I grab Demetri's hand and hold it tight. No, I don't want to be near Max ever again. "Yeah, it'll be good to get to know Tenebrae again." He sends a smile towards me again before taking his leave. A shiver goes through me and I go to the bay window, watching as the second car goes and as Max kisses my mom, running his hands through her hair, knowing that he admitted my mom wasn't really his life mate, he was using her to get to me and then, leaving themselves.

His eyes never left me as they pulled away, two hands rub my arms and a breathe warms my neck. Envy fills Max's face before disappearing. I turn around; Demetri stands by my side as his family on looks.

"I'm not letting him get my mom, I'm not letting him get me and I'm certainly not letting him hurt any of you. I'll kill myself before any of that happens." I tell them shakily.

"We'd better get you trained for your transformations and then, we'll train together for when he does challenge us." Demetri's dad says, a proud smile flashing on his face. I turn to Demetri and his face was stone cold with anger and a sheer determination which sends my heart beating faster and my admiration for him growing stronger.

**Chapter 4**

"Demetri," I begin cautiously. He had stormed upstairs after the talk we had about me, my abilities and my transformation. The gory details were included and I had almost been sick. Demetri was staring out of his window, gripping the frame hard and standing like a statue.

"Yes?" His voice was soft and contained _Danger_ at the moment.

"We need to talk."

"About what? You know the details about the transformation, you know the secret I've been trying to keep from you and everybody since day one and you know something about my culture of my kind. What's more to talk about?" Demetri turns his head towards me, his eyes blaring out warning and a love so uncontrollable he has to control himself. I close the door behind me and strut up to him.

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

"About us, Demetri."

"There is no us. We can't be together because you hate me and you're a new wolf, you can't be paired yet."

"I don't hate you as such. I hate your temperament, your mood swings and I hate you because ever since you saved me two months ago, you've made me go head over heels."

"What are you saying? Spit it out." Astonishment covers the anger. He steps towards me and I lick my lips, suddenly nervous. This wasn't going as I hoped it would. "Tenebrae, are you saying you _like_ me?"

"Yes, I'm trying to say I like you."

"There's something more than that."

"I more than like you, Demetri."

"Say it. I need to hear it." He places a hand on my neck; I press my face into his palm.

"I-" The door opens when April enters, a baby in her arms. Demetri goes to her. "Hey April."

"Tenebrae! Glad you're back. Meet Marco." April shows me Marco. He looks like April and has Kaleb's hair.

"He's gorgeous! Wow. I'm sorry for ruining that night." I'm hesitant to take Marco out of her arms and then I grin at the small child in my arms. If I did get a husband and decide to have children, this is what it'd feel like.

"You didn't ruin it because it wasn't your fault. Anyway, that's in the past. It's nice to see you again." April hugs me gently and takes Marco away from me; the feeling of being a mom fades slowly.

"Yeah, you too. You look really well, how did you lose the baby stomach so fast?"

"I just exercised every day. I'm glad you're well again though. We were worried about you."

"Thanks. How are little Marco and Kaleb? I hope they're okay."

"Yeah, Marco's doing really well. Kaleb's so tired because Marco's been waking up about ten times a night and then, he has to go to work. There's no stopping."

"Why is Marco waking up during the night?"

"He's teething. Don't know which ones are coming through but he's teething. I'm knackered but still alive; a baby won't kill me yet."

"How many children do you want?" I cross my arms; Demetri shoves his hands into his pocket and smiles at Marco. Marco smiles widely.

"I want as many as I can. Kaleb isn't too impressed, can't blame him. He wasn't too impressed when I announced I was first pregnant and then, finding out I threw away my pills on purpose. No, I can't blame him but he said that he might think about having more children." April laughs at Marco, Demetri's face relaxing a bit. April passes him over to Demetri and hugs me. "My brother disserves someone like you, he has done for years." She whispers in my ear.

"What do you mean?" I ask, startled. April grabs my hand and pulls me towards the door.

"Where are you two going?" Demetri asks, looking up from the about-to-cry Marco. He sits down on the floor, staring at me.

"Just to have a talk. We'll be about five minutes. If he cries, just give him back to me, Demetri. We'll be on the swing seat, enjoying the sunshine."

"Okay. I'll do that." Demetri nods and his attention go back to Marco. Playing with him as if Marco's his own. He'd be a great dad as well as a relaxed, romantic boyfriend. I'm dragged out of the room.

The cool air makes me shiver at first with the bright sunlight. April skips over to the swing seat and pulls out a worn leather book. I sit down next to her. "Tenebrae, when we are at the perfect age, we turn into wolves. When we turn into wolves, we stop aging and stay in the same body as we were when we turned. This is happening in our generation, not in the older generations. We're all older than you think. I was twenty-two when I turned, the triplets were twenty-three, Isis was twenty-one and Demetri was only sixteen. He was the youngest turner ever to be recorded.

"He's been punished for what he looks like, what he can do and what aged he turned. We should be about sixty/fifty years old by now. All through those forty years, Demetri's been punished by our grandparents for something that isn't his fault. He's watched as all of us be happy, us getting praise and finding love once or twice. He's had a horrid childhood and he's been tortured practically, he disserves to find someone who will love and care for him. He disserves the best from this world but our grandparents won't allow it. They used to lock him away in a different building whenever they visited and leave him there days, even weeks.

"What I'm trying to say is that, please look after my brother. I know you will love him for who he is, human form or not. You make him happy and we all haven't seen him happy since he turned, I beg you to look after him and for you to love him for who he is and care for him no matter what." April fanned her eyes as she finishes. I stare at her in astonishment. No wonder Demetri had tempers like a volcano, he acted the way he did, rather someone or something kill him before they even touch a finger on me and wants attention from me. No one paid him any, no one loved him, no one protected him and his anger was constant.

"I will, April. I'll look after him. I promise." I hug her and close my eyes. He was only sixteen and yet, he got exiled from the family by his grandparents because of that as well as his looks. He's had such a terrible past but, I'll ensure he'll have a better future. I won't let him suffer anymore. "I promise with all my heart and soul, he'll be happier in the future." I push myself away and look up to the sky once more, making that vow towards the sun.

"Our grandparents still do it today." Isis's voice whispers into my ear. "They don't force him into the building like before, he just goes and they lock the door, give mom and dad the time he shall stay in there and leave."

"Where do they take him?" I turn my head towards her; her eyes have their sparkle back. April carries on trying to fight back the tears.

"We don't know but we think it's an abandoned warehouse. He comes back with cuts in his knuckles and bruises on his shoulders leading down towards his ass. His legs also have cuts." April opens the leather book and there were photos in it of the family, birthday photos, scans and random ones. Loads of each sibling apart from Demetri. His scan, his birthday photos, Christmas photos, thanksgiving, 4th July and even in family photos, he's not there. I shake my head as the pages of photos went on and none of Demetri appeared.

"Our grandparents forced our mom and dad not to put any photos of Demetri in and not to take any of him because he was the Devil himself." Kyle says, placing a hand on my shoulder. Thorn and Quinn sit in front, on garden chairs. Isis sits next to April. "Mom and dad do have photos of Demetri; they hid them from the grandparents. We've only seen those photos of Demetri once."

"I can't believe this. It's not his fault he's like what he is!" I exclaim.

"We know it's not. Our grandparents are very religious and they're saying it is." Quinn interrupts before anyone could speak.

"May I see the photos of Demetri?" I'm hesitant on asking. If they've only seen the photos once, what are the chances of me seeing them? I've got to try.

"You have to ask mom and dad. I'd ask them after the weekend though; our grandparents are meant to arriving soon."

"What day is it today?" I didn't know it was almost the weekend.

"Friday. They arrive Friday night and then leave Monday night." They begin to go back indoors. I stay on the swing seat and stare at the ground. April had rightly taken it off me. If she hadn't, I'd tear it to pieces. Their grandparents had no right to do that kind of shit to Demetri and to make his parents take no photos of him. Standing up, I look up.

The sun setting, placing a nice palette of colors in the sky. The silhouette of trees, birds and buildings, vehicles and people made the atmosphere feel friendly but the ground hid the secrets of everybody, soaked up the blood of innocents and guilty consciences, creating the dysfunctional world. Evil is a choice, not natural. Good can be created in and with evil, if used in the right way. No one chose to have the world like this but it is as it is.

A hand grips my ponytail and pulls my head back. The hidden torture in his eyes now shows itself. Forty years of torture and now, one little piece of happiness. He lets my hair go and turn me to face him.

"What did you lot talk about?" He asks. I shake my head and wrap my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. My action stuns him for a couple of minutes before he returns the hug.

"I'm sorry for what happened." I whisper. He chuckles. I lift my head up and smile. "As long as I've got you, my past doesn't matter." Demetri places a hand on my neck and his other hand on the small of my back.

"You didn't disserve any of that shit to happen to you. You still don't. You are much greater than you actually are. They have no right to do that to you." "Tenebrae, I never told anybody this before so you must keep it a secret."

"I promise." That's like the fifth promise already!

"When I first turned and I was put into a different building, my grandparents told me when I find my life mate, they're going to put her away in a different building to me and keep her there, letting her starve to death. I don't want that to happen to you, I won't allow it. Go to the port nearest to here and wait inside warehouse three in the far corner. All they do is shove me in and lock the door."

"I'll do that. When do you want me to go and wait for you?" I grip my hands tighter. He's never gonna be alone in that warehouse again.

"Five minutes before my grandparents arrive." He looks up and quickly goes behind the house. The sound of a car coming into the drive makes me alert. "Go now. Go through the forest, they can't see you as easy or smell your scent." Demetri pushes me slightly. "See you in about ten-fifteen minutes." I run through the forest, just as Demetri instructed. I stop once and I see grandpa hitting him. Demetri didn't flinch or move, just stayed standing still.

**Chapter 5**

I can hear my heart break as grandma does it too then his older siblings coming out and getting hugs and smiles when all Demetri got is slapped. They can't do that to him! He has the same right as they did! Just because his grandparents are religious, it doesn't mean that they should treat him like an outcast. I force myself to move, dodging the trees and pacing myself so I wouldn't get out of breathe so quickly. I have to go fast enough to beat them to the warehouse though, therefore, my pace was quick yet energy saving.

The sound of shouting, bells and laughter fill my head. Yes, I'm almost there. I peak about behind the building of warehouse one. Demetri and grandparents weren't here yet. The fishermen was leaving, the sound of seagulls was the only thing making noise apart from the smooth waves. I see warehouse three's door open. I slowly make my way towards it, staying in the shadows and keeping my ears open. The sound of the same car makes me run inside and go and hide in the far corner, behind some fishnets and barrels.

The sunlight through the opening was blocked. "How long am I staying in here this time? Five weeks again?" Demetri asks his grandparents.

"Do not speak to us." A bitter, fragile woman's voice spits. He laughs.

"Okay. See you whenever." He makes his way towards me and the door is shut and locked. It's totally darkness now but I can still see. "Tenebrae, you can come out now." He smiles and holds out his arms towards me.

"How come your grandparents didn't spot me?" I ask, reaching him. I don't go into his arms though, not yet.

"They're busy concentrating on me and making sure I'm safe away from them." He places his hand on the wall and flicks a switch.

The warehouse lights up, blinding me for a split second. There was a second floor to the warehouse. The current floor we're on, there are just fishing baskets, nets and crates. The steel stairs leads to an office. Demetri kicks the door open and inside the office, there was a desk, a lamp, a leather sofa and some pictures of the sunsets. There was a door opposite us. He kicks that open and there was a king-sized bed, two bedside tables, an En Suite marble white bathroom with a shower and toilet and sink and towels. Demetri jumps onto the bed and laughs. "This can't be here." I mutter.

"If someone wants peace and quiet, they come into here, do some work and then, sleep for however long they want here. Heated water, radiators, the works."

"This is why your grandparents chose it?" I turn on the shower.

"They don't know about this. They just thought it was a storage warehouse for fishermen shit. I'll have that shower after you." He shouts. I pop my head around the door. He turns his head.

"What about clothes?"

"I've got some spare clothes under the bed and some of my dad's. You can wear a t-shirt that's my dad's while your underwear dries."

"You've got this all figured out, haven't you?"

"More or less. I brought some clothes that would be too big for me and yet, I'll still fit so, guess they came in handy."

I close the door and step into the shower. I get goose pimples all over me instantly. I'm in a warehouse alone with Demetri Cicada. Girls at school will be so jealous. The lads won't make fun of me anymore. It'll be bliss at last. Demetri would be happy at last, the pestering and the mocking would stop and I'd also be happy. Max will still be after me though, Jay too. They'll hunt me down and try to get me. That's the bad part. I'm at school and they'll be able to find me so easily. Jay claims that I'm his life mate as well and Max just wants to beat me halfway to Hell as he did before. Demetri won't allow it, I know he won't and he'll place me inside a building or a room to keep me out of danger.

When I think about being a wolf, it scares me a bit because I would feel my bones breaking, growing and then healing again. The pains of having my teeth grow into huge teeth that are able to break someone's bones without even trying. Becoming something that I could hardly control or contain. But then, I'd have abilities which could be useful. I'd be stronger, faster, more flexible and I'd be able to see in the dark which was a bonus. I'd be able to protect myself instead of having Demetri and his family doing that and rescuing me all the time. It'll be good to be able to protect myself from danger for once instead of being the one in it.

I get out of the shower and wrap a towel around me. I step into the bedroom and Demetri walks towards me, holding out a shirt. I take it and stare at him. His ice cool eyes returning the stare.

"What are the chances of me becoming what you are?" I ask, breaking the silence. "Very high. I'd say 99.99% of people who are bitten, turn. It's very rare when people don't. You might be the 0.1% who doesn't turn."

"Do I get any abilities if I don't turn?"

"No, of course you don't." A light chuckle escapes him, lifting the mood by a small amount away from depressing.

"You need to tell me more about the life mate shit. I didn't get it properly when your family told me; I think I wasn't concentrating because I was in shock." "Sure, I'll explain that to you. Do you want me to go into detail or the simple explanation?" He places his hand on the bathroom door handle, ready to go into the shower. I bite back a smile.

"Whatever. I'm not bothered either way. As long as it's explained to me and I get it, I don't care if it's detailed or simple." Demetri raises an eyebrow.

"Alright then. I'll explain it to you when I get out."

"No, after you're dressed after your shower would be better."

Demetri pulls a sarcastic face before closing the door. I stroll to the bed and lie down. _Fuck! I'll be sleeping in the same bed as Demetri! Oh, Shit!_ I shout mentally at myself. _**Hey, he's not too bad. He loves you and you love him so... what's the problem? I see no problem. Look, girl, he's obviously head over heels for you. And, remember what his siblings told you. He's been disserving a girl like you for years, don't push him away, look after him and love him like there's no tomorrow. **_My other ego told me calmly. The problem was... I'm a new wolf-well, maybe- and even Demetri said that new wolves can't be paired immediately and yet, I am. He does love me and I do like him but... I don't exactly love him. At least, not yet.

I curl into a ball on my side and stare at the wall. This is gonna be a long few weeks or days I'll be stuck in here with Demetri. I clutch the shirt tightly in my hand when the shower is turned off. Oh bugger. I quickly change from being into the towel to the shirt. I'm about to do up the second button, because I work backwards when doing buttons up, when Demetri strolls past me, giving me a flicker of attention. I sigh and relax; at least he has said anything about his dad's shirt being too small on me! His dad must be smaller than what I am or I'm just fucking huge and tall! The end of the shirt finishes halfway up my thigh, meaning that my ass would be on show if I bend over and the top and second button doesn't stay which means my breasts would be on show also when I bend over.

"Here, try a bigger shirt." Demetri chucks me another shirt, same white color, short sleeved but it did look bigger.

"Thanks. Your dad must be smaller than me in clothes."

"No, he's bigger than you. That's my mom's shirt. I must've brought it here when I was younger to help me fall asleep at night."

"Oh." I keep my mouth shut. He kept his mom's shirt with him so he could sleep at night. It must've been awful to be him at such a young age and spend countless nights away from his family because his grandparents rejected him.

I go into the bathroom. Demetri's had a worse childhood than I have. My childhood might've been rough, beaten and neglected but at least I wasn't put away in a building so far away from home, so far away from my family because my looks and talents were different and unique and my grandparents were displeased, thinking I was an omen. He has had a hard life, not just a childhood. He's eighteen, nineteen or even forty-odd but he's still rejected from his family by his grandparents. My mom abandoned me for more than one night, her boyfriends beat me up behind her back after my dad died and I was neglected, left to look after myself more than once. Compared to him, I've had a cushioned life.

I try on the shirt and it fit perfectly. I fold up his mom's shirt and watch as Demetri scourers through the wardrobe, wearing only his jeans.

"Did it fit alright?" He asks, voice echoing.

"Yeah. I've folded up your mom's for you." I place the shirt in the wardrobe next to where Demetri had his head. Putting my hand on his shoulder, I push him back. "Demetri, I mean what I said before. You didn't and don't disserve this shit happening to you. You're too good a person for it to happen."

"I don't want to talk about something we've already discussed." He begins to turn away; I step in front of his path.

"I do. If I tell you what my childhood was like, would you tell me yours?"

"My siblings have already told you what my childhood was like."

"I want it in your words. I felt sorry for you but I want to know the truth behind it." I put my hand on his chest where his heart, he clasps my hand with his.

"You know the truth. You shouldn't feel sorry. There's nothing to tell."

"Demetri, please. I want to understand you properly. I barely know the outside of you, never mind the heart of you." I step close to him, almost challenging him. I've heard rumors that you should never challenge a wolf, they'll win easily.

"Good. I can't see why or understand why you would want to know the real me." "I'm your life mate, Demetri. I'm allowed to know the real you."

"You're not allowed to use that as an excuse." A slight smirk makes it way onto his face, he was finding this amusing as well as frustrating.

"It's not an excuse, it's fact. Come on, I must be a mystery to you. You're defiantly a mystery to me." I deliberately place my lips near his, trying to entice him.

"You are a mystery to me but I'm not going to pry into your past. I don't want you to know about my past in detail. We're supposed be discussing about something else actually, if you remember." _**What a way to spoil the mood, dumbass! You almost kissed her then, she wanted you to! **_The arguing voice from before mentally shouted at him. _Chill, girl. We'll kiss, I know we will._ I tell it, secretly wanting Demetri to kiss me. Sure I don't love him but I still like him. He takes my hand away and kneels on the bed, waiting for me.

"Yeah, the life mate stuff. So, start with the basics." I cross my legs when I join him on the bed. He takes a deep breathe.

**Chapter 6**

"When a wolf, you are visited by a member of your family who have died years and years ago. They tell you that you're going to be paired soon but they won't tell you the person's name. In human form, you don't know, you're not visited. You only know it's your life mate when you're close to them to catch their scent deeply and you can see them in detail, it feels like a lighting bolt or a click or something to represent that you've been paired and you've found your life mate. So,-"

"What was yours when you were paired with me?" I interrupt. Demetri's lips withdrew into a thin, taut line.

"Lighting bolt." He says at last. I nod. Not so special then. "So, when you're paired with your life mate, you have the natural urge to protect and to," He chuckles, unable to stop himself from that and smiling.

"What's the other thing?" Placing both hands on my knees.

"And to…to… claim the person."

"I don't get it."

"Think about while I'm telling you the rest of it." Demetri carries on grinning as he tries to calm himself down. "If the paired wolf doesn't claim its life mate, it will protect it and welcome the life mate to the pack or family. When comfortable, the wolf will stop at nothing to impress the life mate- in some cases, the life mate to impress the wolf- and then try to claim it. If another wolf wants the life mate, the opposing wolf will purpose a challenge for the life mate. It'll be a battle to the death or a challenge where the weakest wolf loses. The winning wolf will get the life mate and it will take the life mate away with it. The losing wolf will have to try to get its life mate back or try to find another." Demetri pauses, letting me gather all the information in. I nod, still thinking what he means by 'claim'.

"The life mate will be bitten and turned into a wolf to stay with the paired wolf or the champion wolf. Then, the life mate will be trained and tested. If the female life mate gets impregnated in wolf form, she will have to stay in wolf form until the litter is born. If the female life mate gets impregnated in human form, she will have to stay in human form until the child is born. At the average of twenty-three for male pups or child, the male will start to change form or learn to. In human years, I don't know how old that is. The average age for females is twenty. Pups only. In human form, females can change form when they're bitten or when they start their periods.

"We can live forever so, we can have as many pups or children as we want. We're not like mortal wolves, we're not werewolves either. We just call ourselves the immortal wolves or immortal warriors of the woods. But, we do actually need to be careful with where we choose to have pups or children because more and more people are hunting us down when we're in wolf forms and finding out what were are. It is of upmost importance that you choose an area where no one can find out what you are and you're safe. The pack included, no matter how big it is." "Can you have homosexual wolves?"

"No, we are strictly male and female so our race can continue."

"Damn! I thought you could. Burst my bubble." I mumble to myself, Demetri just chuckles again. He stares down at the quilt and bites his lip. The light bulb switches on in my mind and I contort my face in disgust.

"Have you figured it out yet?" He asks, preparing to run by slowly backing off the bed. I grab a pillow and throw it at him.

"Disgusting git! No wonder you were standing so close to me! Pig!" I shout.

"Hey, I didn't claim you, did I? I have intentions to, only when you're ready." He tells me, chucking the pillow back and making me fall against the bed.

"I'm surprised you didn't. I was vulnerable. Isn't that wolves look for? The young, the old and the vulnerable to prey upon?"

"Of course it is but it isn't like that with life mates. The wolf finds the prey, stalks it until it's vulnerable, take it down and then," He has his arms at either side of my head, his knees at my hips and his mouth in line with mine. "Waits until it's the right time." Demetri laughs before rolling off. I take deep breathes. Jesus, that was close. I nearly made him put those perfect lips across mine. "Unless you want me to, it'll just tell me you're ready and comfortable." He leans over me, his hand brushing away the hair from my face.

"I prefer it if you didn't."

"There is a reason to claim the life mate. If you claimed your life mate, it'll tell everyone that you belong to someone and you're not- let's say- for sale unless the price can be beaten." He dodges my fail attempt of trying to hit him with a pillow. "Usually, the life mate gets a little feisty when he/she's ready to be claimed. This is a good sign you're showing me." Demetri grabs my wrists and place them just above my head, his knees were at my hips again and his mouth was so close to my mouth, I could taste his breathe.

"I'd better stop then, ain't I?"

"Prefer if you didn't but it's completely your decision."

"Am I turning you on? I do apologize if I am."

"No, it's just a good sign you're showing me. It's telling me that you're ready to be claimed but you're not letting that happen."

"So much out of so little action?"

"Yes." Another chuckle. "Why? That's what I want to know."

"I don't love you yet. I only like you." I clench my fists to make sure they are still alive and blood's getting to them, I can feel them going numb.

"I see. I reckon it won't be long before you give into loving me."

"You just sound so stuck up your own ass when you say shit like that."

"Not one of my best qualities, I take it." Another playful grin. He liked this play fighting a lot.

"Defiantly not. I prefer your dumbass act than the stuck-up-my-own-ass act."

"Is that so? Name me one time I've been a dumbass." _Oh shit. Erm… one time where Demetri's been a dumbass. Erm…_

"When I broke my leg and you told the doctors you was my boyfriend of two years when it was totally fictitious. You were such a dumbass then."

"It was partially true. If you did really hate me, you'd immediately go back to the school on that night and you wouldn't let me be this close to you." I glance downwards, only a thin strip of air separated our bodies.

"How was it partially true? I've grown used to you, meaning that I'm used to the closeness you throw onto me."

"Look at us, Tenebrae. We do actually act just like a couple, exactly what my siblings said. We even acted like a couple two months ago."

"I know we do." My eyes meet his.

"Then why don't we be a couple?" Demetri asks the dreaded question I've trying to avoid while knowing him. I turn my head to the side and take a deep breathe. "I don't know. I never really saw myself in a relationship which such a wonderful person like you. I never saw myself without the Goth make-up and clothes to be honest."

"But you've become a beautiful and strong without hiding behind all that shit and you've got me falling head over heels for you. How come you never saw yourself in a relationship and never without all the Goth shit?"

"Since my dad died and my mom's been abandoning me, I've been that girl who became a Goth. I think because of my Goth shit, I scared boys away and what my mom's boyfriends including Max did to me and that made me think that I'd never be in a relationship. You can change that, it's open."

"What did Max do to you?" Demetri tightens his grip on my wrists and his voice became a deep snarl.

"He had beaten me until I was black and blue when I was only young, my mom didn't believe me. All her boyfriends did that to me, she believed their word over mine. I'm alright now; you can ease your grip on my wrists."

"That swine." Demetri shoots off me and I hear a crashing on the bottom floor. "Fuck!" I swear to the air. I quickly race down to the bottom floor and find Demetri hitting the door. "Demetri, stop it!" I try to pull on his arm to get him away from the door but, his elbow connects with my eye and I go flying backwards, crying out in pain. I hold my hand over my eye and hold back the tears.

Demetri suddenly stops and he runs his hand through his hair. Had he just realized what happened? I push myself up using the wall and sit on the bottom step. He wasn't out of breathe, he wasn't making a noise. Had he finally snapped? "Tenebrae, I'm so sorry." He whispers. To a human, it wouldn't be audible but I'm not a human anymore. I'm a wolf.

"No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have mentioned my past; I'm such a stupid bitch." I make my hair cover my face, like a curtain, and keep my head bowed. He kneels in front of me, both hands on my cheeks.

"Let me see it, I need to know how bad it is." He mutters, gently pushing my hair aside and my head up.

"It's not bad. I've had worse." I thrust his hands away. "I just need to get some ice or cold water on it to stop the swelling and it'll be gone within weeks." "Please let me have a look. I'm the one who caused it. Tenebrae, sweetie, please." Demetri catches my hands and locks our fingers together. No one ever called me sweetie before. He's defiantly a proper romantic.

"No, just leave it. I'll go and sort it out in a minute. Forget I said anything about my past, yeah? I don't want you to go into another anger storm."

"I can't forget that. Your mom's boyfriends beat you- my life mate- up ever since your dad died. They will pay. Did they just beat you up or did they do more?"

"They just beat me up. I remember Max almost did rape me but my mom had come home in time. Don't go for revenge, Demetri. Isn't the knowledge of not being able to have me enough for Max?" I look up through my hair; Demetri tilts his head towards the left a minute, his eyes away from me.

I lie down with my back facing the bathroom, the ice pack was masking taped over my eye. Demetri hadn't even said a word to me since I told him Max did almost rape me. He was sitting at the end of the bed, his head in his hands. I keep my place where I am and decide it's for the best. I want to say something but I'm scared that Demetri might go off again, hit me on purpose or just ignore me. I clutch the cover closer to me, closing my eyes even tighter. I feel Demetri get off the bed and close a door, sitting down in a chair in the office and silence again. I sit up, sighing deeply. I wish he'd just speak to me. What was he thinking? Did he feel that all this is his fault?

"I'll talk to him in the morning." I mutter to myself, letting the tunnel of darkness take me away.

**Chapter 7**

_Thump!_ My arm hits something solid and warm. My eye flutter open. Fur, I can feel fur underneath my arm. It was dark, late at night or early in the morning? I turn my head and two ice blue eyes meet me. Demetri. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hit you." I automatically apologize. I turn onto my side and run my hand through his thick coat. "Please turn back to human form. I like you in your wolf form but I want to see you as a human." I keep my hand on his back. Demetri places a paw on my arm before the horrid sound of bones snapping and breaking forces me to hide my head under the pillows to block out the sound.

The paw turned into a hand lying softly, lightly, across my arm. The fur underneath my hand turns into solid muscle, bone and flesh.

"Don't worry, it's over now." His voice was hoarse and soft. I take my head out of hiding and face him. A light smile touches his lips. He was still lying face down in the mattress. I huddle up to him, staying face up. "I'll make sure I get you some ear plugs to block out the noises of changing forms."

"Why, if we're shifters, are we limited to only one form?"

"I don't know. There are some who can only turn into a certain species of birds and all that. It's very rare when a shifter can change into anything they choose. Genetics mainly."

"Did you think that you would one of rare people who could turn into anything they wanted, seeing that you're so different from your family?" My hand moves from his back to his shoulder. Demetri gets me back into the position from earlier. Only a thin strip of air separating our bodies and two pieces of clothing; his dad's shirt I'm wearing and Demetri's jeans.

"Yeah, I did for a while. My grandparents told me that if I did become one of the rare shifters, they'd kill me slowly. I'm glad I didn't turn out like that."

"How many are like that?"

"As far as we know, none. Two were murdered, one disappeared. There was only three. Two males and one female."

"How come they didn't carry on the line? Surely, if both mates are of the same genetics, it would make a child or children the same."

"The female refused to mate like you are refusing to be claimed. Because of that, the line couldn't continue. The eldest male was murdered first, and then the youngest male and the female we don't know about, even to this day. No one know what happened to her, I don't think we ever will."

"What were their names?" Both of my hands clench his shoulders, the burning desire flaming in the pit of my stomach.

"The eldest male was called Cain, the youngest was called Judas and the female was called Belladonna. They say that Cain and Judas were the bravest, strongest, strategic and handsome men ever to walk the Earth. Belladonna was said to be the most angelic, graceful, beautiful, talented and pure perfection female to ever walk the Earth." Demetri swipes his hand to lock with mine. He lowers his head to my ear, his breathe warming it. "Promise you won't overreact to what I'm about to tell you." He whispers beforehand.

"I promise." I learned my lesson in overreacting and what consequences it has. "They've got the wrong beauty. You're the most beautiful girl to have ever walked the Earth." Demetri hesitates to tell me. I gasp, almost choking on the sudden intake of breathe. He thinks I'm the most beautiful girl to have walked the Earth? No, he's out of his head. He's on drugs, I tell you.

"Do you mean that?" I watch the ceiling as I feel his breathe on my neck. I lock my other hand with his free hand.

"With every single cell in my body."

"You're on drugs." I chuckle as I spit it out. Demetri presses a single kiss to my neck before pressing one to my forehead.

"You wanna check?" He challenges. I try to make my body relax as it tenses up to the touch of Demetri's lips gliding along my jaw, my neck and my shoulder. "No thanks, I trust you." I breathe. I can feel my skin grow hot and a burning desire starts all over again.

"Glad you do." Demetri undoes the top two buttons. I tighten my grip on the bed sheets. There was a loud bang, followed by loads more bangs. Demetri launches off me again and race to the office room. I follow. There were dents in the warehouse doors. How could that be though? The metal was solid and hard. "Stay here. It could be Jay's friends or Max with backup or anyone else." He whispers to me.

I stay standing at the one-way windows. I can see whoever is below me but they can't see me. Like one-way mirrors. I can see Demetri stalking cautiously up to the doors. The banging stops. "Who is it?" I hear him ask.

"Demetri, let us in quickly." Isis's voice comes from outside. I don't think about it but I run down to Demetri. He opens the door with one tug. Isis, the triplets, Lucas, April with Marco, Kaleb, his mom and dad and his grandparents all run in. He quickly closes the door and stare at them.

"What's wrong?" He kneels down besides Isis, placing a hand on her back.

"A hunt has been issued."

"A hunt? Are you serious? Who, what for and why?"

"Shifters from everywhere have reported knowing where Belladonna is. A hunt has been issued to find her and make her Queen again. Every shifter family is searching. I have begged mom and dad, grandma and grandpa not to do the same but they said that the Queen must be back in power. Which is why we've brought them here. Our grandparents are too weak now in their fragile state, mom and dad will know why we did this and they won't try to escape." Isis helps everyone stands up. Demetri smiles at his grandparents.

"Now, our grandparents shall know how if feels to be locked away for a period of time." He takes my hand and holds it up to them.

"Touch my life mate and my face will be the last thing you see." He growls at them, his arm wrapping around my waist. We walk towards the office. "Isis, Kyle, Thorn, Quinn, Kaleb and April, come with me and we'll figure out what to do. Lucas, stay with mom, dad, grandma and grandpa." He was the youngest and yet, he's acting the eldest. Lucas clings to Isis tighter.

"You scared him, Demetri." Isis informs. "Go on Lucas. We won't be long."

"No, I want to stay with you. Please let me stay with you." Lucas sounded like he was five, not ten. I look up at Demetri.

"Okay but you mustn't repeat what we all say." He says at last.

"Yeah, I promise." We continue our way into the office. Lucas immediately went to the office chair and spun around on it. The rest of us sit on the floor. April holds Marco tightly to her chest and smiles.

"We need to plan what we're doing about mom, dad and our grandparents. Then, the hunt. We need to stop it. If we don't, there'll be bloodshed and Belladonna will get hurt, maybe killed." Kyle announces. I lean against the wall and watch as they listen to each other. There was a silence for now.

"Why don't we keep them in here?" Lucas asks.

"You saw how easy I opened and closed that door. They could easily do that if they put their strength together. We need to hold them where they can't get out." Demetri glances at me. "Why not in the training pen?"

"But that's only for new wolves. We need to train Tenebrae yet." Quinn argues. I bow my head. Yeah, the training.

"We don't have enough time to train Tenebrae. We don't have a choice. We have to put them in the pen and get someone to serve them while we're stopping this. We can train Tenebrae while we're doing this, she won't escape from us."

"True. So, we're holding the four of them in the pen. What are we going to do with pip squeak and the happy family over there?" Thorn means April, Kaleb and their baby with Lucas.

"Let them decide. Lucas, do you want to help us? It'll be extremely dangerous and you have to obey our commands to the letter."

"Yeah please! I will, I swear I will. I understand how dangerous it is."

"You haven't turned so you have to with one of us at all times."

"Okay. I'll follow everything you say, don't mess, stay with one of you at all times." Lucas repeats. I smile; it was sweet how he acted around other people.

"April, Kaleb? What do you want to do?"

"We're coming. Marco doesn't cry so, we'll be alright."

"Couldn't mom and dad look after Marco?" Quinn butts in. April sends him a sharp, warning look.

"No, Marco is staying with us no matter what."

"Right. That's some of the things we've sorted." Demetri nods at me. "Do you understand and follow? Are you alright with this at the moment?"

"Yeah. It'll be hard to do so much stuff at the same time but I'll manage. Let's get onto the business of saving Belladonna. Where are the reports coming from?" I look around. Isis stands up and begins in put pins in the places where the reports of seeing Belladonna have been coming from. So far, it's only been Egypt, Italy, Spain, England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, France and Greece. "Where was the first five?"

"The first five were in Egypt, the next five in Greece, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, England, Scotland and recently, Ireland. There must be some sort of pattern in the reports." Kaleb informs. I nod in agreement.

"Belladonna has been to the hot countries first then the colder ones. She had been through the countries who had bad pollution. Properly to shake off her scent? How do you recognize her?"

"Exactly by her scent. She could be getting rid of her scent. If she was doing this, her next move must be to come to America."

"No, she'd go through the water because only shifters who can turn into marine animals would be able to recognize her but they don't use scent underwater. She'd be home and dry in the water. Does she know any families personally? Why would she make an appearance now?"

"Yes, she knew our family personally. She had stayed with us for a few years before taking her leave. We became the first family to be friends with her. We lost contact with her when she disappeared. Somebody from long ago, who knew her, could've recognized her scent and then, called upon others to help. That could explain why she's made a reappearance now." Demetri explains. They all look at him.

"How do you know about that? No one ever told you about our old family affairs with Belladonna. We know but, you shouldn't." Isis asks before shaking her head. "Oh well, we'll save that for later."

"She could be looking for you. If you became personal, close friends with her who let her stay with you for a couple of years; she could be looking for you. She might want your help, shelter, a place to rest and hide while this all cools down." I stand up quickly. "This might be a long shot but it could be an accurate one. If we follow the pattern, she might be in the middle of the ocean, she could be in Bermuda. It's worth a try to go and see Bermuda."

"You have a point. Would she recognize us though? We'd recognize her, that's for sure but it's that question." Kyle finally breaks the silence.

"Yeah, she would. She'd do it by looks or scent. If she can transform into anything, how would we know that it's her if she has lost her scent?" Demetri is getting annoying with all these problematic questions. I turn my head at him.

"We'd ask her a question only she will know the answer to." Kyle's frustration was showing itself in his voice. I don't blame him. "If she's not at Bermuda, where would she be? We live in Louisiana and she could think we've moved from here to a different state. We need to let her know we're still here, in Louisiana."

"Make her a path. Go to the coast and start leaving your scents there and work your way back here." I suggest. They all nod.

"Sounds like a good plan. What if the other shifters follow the scent though? Or, it doesn't stay?"

"If the other shifters are smart, they won't follow the scent. Because you all are wolves, they know you're going to be a big pack and they won't dare to follow and trespass. The scent should stay because if you rub it on trees, rocks, anything, it will stick and it won't matter if it rains because the scent will stay."

"Defiantly. Right, shall we get the four elders settled into the pen and find them a waiter. We'll pack a bag each, only a bag and then we'll be off to Bermuda." Demetri stands up and opens the office door. The others walk out first, silent and concentrating on one thing. I stand in front of Demetri.

"Where will we stay if we do find Belladonna? Can't be in that house because they find her. It'll have to be somewhere well hidden." I fiddle with the shirt collar. His body is just sculpted into perfection.

"I've got an idea. I'll share it with the others. Come on, they're waiting." Demetri places a hand on my back, pushing me in front of him.

**Chapter 8**

"We're going to take you to the training pen. It's for your own safety and the others. Lucas, April, Kaleb and their baby is coming with us. Don't worry; we'll take care of them. We're going to train Tenebrae outside." Isis announces. Demetri opens the warehouse door and we all file out silently and quickly.

"Lets get them quickly to the training pen." Quinn tells us. We reach the forest and they all, apart from April and myself, turned into their wolf form. April gets on Kaleb's back and I walk along Demetri, keeping my hand on his back.

"Not quite the life you were expecting, was it?" April laughs.

"No, not at all. Still, life's full of surprises." I answer.

"You're telling me." April sits Marco on Kaleb's head.

"What do you mean?" I was so confused.

"You in a brand new shirt and Demetri in jeans. Figure it out."

"Oh yeah. Don't worry, it wasn't anything like that." I want to bitch slap myself now. Of course they'd think we were about to have sex when I'm in a shirt and Demetri was in jeans. _Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!_ I scream at myself mentally.

"It's alright. I wasn't worrying, I'm happy for you both."

I keep my mouth shut. I look down at my life mate beside me and hide a grin. "You two make the perfect couple. You both don't just look great together; you're both smart, kind, funny, sweet, sensitive, good, kind-hearted, protective, brave, strong, fast and agile. I must warn you though, I think Demetri's a die-hard romantic and he loves playing basketball and soccer."

"That's alright. I can always make him stop playing sports. He can carry on being the die-hard romantic he still has to show me."

"Has he said anything to compliment you?"

"I'll tell you that later." A gruff comes out of Demetri. I laugh. "I think he doesn't want me to tell you."

"He's always like that. You should defiantly tell me later. I want the update on you both. How are you feeling anyway?"

"I feel fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"After Max and your mom suddenly appeared out of the bloom."

"Pissed but I feel fine."

"While you were outside with Demetri, all of us decided to see that you are now part of the family by default. We decided to say that you're our sister and daughter and we've already decided that you're Demetri's wife so, it won't be incense."

"Thanks. Planning our future already, aren't you?" Another laugh escapes me. I'm happy to know that I'm part of the family already.

"Of course. We always do it. Mom and dad did it with Kaleb and I had it done to us, mom and dad had it done to them and our grandparents had it done to them and so on. Always have done. I wonder how many children you have and what gender they'll be." I nearly trip over just hearing that. Demetri stops in his tracks for a second before carry on walking again. "They'll be beautiful children, that's for sure." Demetri and I look at each other.

"Don't plan too far ahead, April. We might not even have children." Demetri stays, suddenly turning back to human form. "We both do want children but we might change our minds and decide not to have children."

"You will have children. I know you will. Before then, I want Kyle, Isis, Quinn and Thorn to find their life mate and have children."

"Why do you want us to have children last? Does it matter?"

"I'll be strange to have the youngest of the litter to have children before, that's all. I'd like to do it in order of birth."

"You were the one who was born fourth; I don't know what you're complaining about."

"I was first born. Isis was fourth. The triplets come in between." April raises her middle finger up at us. I let out a choked laugh. Wow, I've never seen or heard April swear before. This is not a huge shock, but a shock nonetheless.

"Would have never figured that one out." Sarcastically, Demetri says it to me.

"I can still hear you."

"Good." Demetri wraps an arm around my shoulders, holding me close to him. I rest my head on his shoulder. "Almost there now."

"Okay." I murmur. We're silent the rest of the way.

The training pen was a building in the deepest part of the forest. The door is unlocked and everyone transforms back into their human forms. Inside the building, there was nothing. Just emptiness. I stay close to Demetri and look around. You must go insane from staying in here for too long. A bell is rung and a scrawny look man hurries in from an entrance nearest to the far right corner. "Valentino, I'm leaving you in charge. Make sure you and your team look after our parents and grandparents well. If you don't, we'll feed you to the wolves." Isis warns him. Demetri marches me outside and we begin to walk back towards the house.

"That's a pretty sick joke, ain't it?" I cringe my nose up.

"Yeah but we mean it. We'll feed anyone who doesn't look after anyone in the training pen properly will get eaten. You need fresh meat once in a while."

"Just stop with the sick jokes. They're not funny, not in the tiniest bit even". "They're funny for the little ones." He swivels his head backwards and to the sides. "Someone's following us. I reckon it's Max. Jay's hidden away and kept under sedation, he can't escape." Demetri comes to a halt. "Who goes there?" Facing the direction a figure finally reveals itself. Daniel.

I run to him and hug him tightly. "Hey Daniel, long time no see." Demetri tries to be friendly. I push myself away from Daniel.

"Hi, Daniel. God, how have you been?" I ask him.

"Hey. I've been great. How have you been? Not heard from you in two and a half months. The school's put you both down as left. I've been so worried about you. I've rung your mobile but you haven't picked up." Daniel answers.

"I've been alright, I suppose. Demetri's taken really good care of me. I'm surprised no one's rung the police and say we're missing. I'm sorry about my mobile, I haven't had one since my accident, I should've tried to talk to you but I've been so busy. You would never have guessed what happened,"

"You and him aren't…" How did I know that was going to be his first question? I tilt my head a little.

"Yeah, we are. Hey, we're happy. You shouldn't hate me too. I still want to be your friend. Demetri's really, really sweet guy. I've not been happy again since I became friends with you. Daniel, please don't hate me just because I'm going out with Demetri. You should be happy that I'm happy too now."

"You betrayed me. You lied to me. You told me that you hated him, that was a lie. You liked him from the beginning and now, you're going out with him."

"Christ! I didn't lie to you. I did hate him at first but as he helped me in my most desperate time of need and supported me through my physio, I found out he was a sweet guy and I fell in love with him. He's a gentleman, Daniel. I ever betray you, I treasure our friendship. I still do." It felt strange mentioning the fictional physio. Demetri defiantly helped and supported me.

"You know full well I hate his guts. I knew he was going to take you away from me. You don't treasure our friendship. If you did, you wouldn't be going out with him."

"Our friendship can't stop me falling in love and going out with the guy I love, Daniel. I do treasure it and I can still go out with the guy I love. You love me. If you didn't love me, I wouldn't be saying that you can't go out with a certain girl you love because I despise her. I'd let you go out with that girl." I know we were about to get into a shouting match. Demetri takes my arm and pulls me towards the house. Daniel follows but metres away. Demetri's hand slides down my arm and clasps onto mine, I hold his hand tight. "Demetri, please throw Daniel out if he tries to hit me or anyone else. He's just jealous and it's getting too much." "Sure. I'll be more than happy to. If he tries to hurt or hurts you or my family, I'll do more than kick him out of my house." Demetri makes me look at him.

"Thanks. You are about the only thing that's keeping me up." I place a hand on his cheek. We carry on walking. "But, if he repeats his actions of trying to harm us, show him your vicious side. I want him to get the message."

"Now, we're getting to the good bit. I'll be overjoyed to give him the message."

"I know." I glance towards Daniel. I can see him overwhelming with anger.

I still want to be best friends with him but he needs to let go of this protectiveness over me. I am allowed to go out with Demetri if I choose to and still treasure the friendship. If he won't let me do that, there might as well be no friendship. Daniel will still fancy me; I'll be with Demetri and everything will be fine between us. Demetri, myself and his family will fight off Max and Jay together; we will find Belladonna and live forever. I just want to be with my life mate, stay friends with my only human friend and have no danger surrounding us for a while.

"Did you mean what you said before?" Demetri asks suddenly. I open my eyes.

"Which bit?"

"You love me bit."

"Yeah, I meant it."

"Say to me right now."

"I love you, Demetri Cicada." I bring his head down, making his lips meet mine. Finally, I get to taste his lips. I can honestly say they taste amazing. He places his hands on the small of my back and press me against him.

Demetri slips his tongue into my mouth, resulting me groaning with pleasure as he sucks on it. Demetri pulls away from me and catches Daniel's fist in time before it connected with his head. I shake my head towards Daniel.

"Lets get home quickly before him and I have a fight out here." Demetri throws Daniel in front of us a couple metres, keeping an arm wrapped around my waist. Demetri keeps Daniel in front of us until we reach his house. We get inside and Daniel instantly turns on his heel to face us. I walk to the kitchen, getting a glass of water.

"Keep yourself off Tenebrae. She isn't yours." Daniel snaps, running at Demetri again. Demetri smoothly moves out of the way and quickly trips Daniel over so he'd fall on the floor and slid to the wall. Straight away, Daniel goes for the punch-Demetri-in-the-back-of-the-head tactic. Again, Daniel failed. Demetri catches his fist and knees him in the stomach, followed by a punch in the face resulting in Daniel flying against the sofa.

"She is mine. She isn't yours, Daniel. You seem to be forgetting that she isn't interested you and she's going out with me. Your envy is really overpowering your thoughts. I bet you haven't been doing well in school because you've been concentrating on what Tenebrae and I could be doing." Demetri smirks.

I roll my eyes and sit down on the sofa opposite Daniel. "Your grades must've been just going downhill."

"She isn't anybody's. Not yours, not mine and certainly not anyone's. I am not jealous too!" Daniel hisses. I keep silent.

"Tenebrae is mine, aren't you?" The question was aimed towards me.

"Yes, I'm Demetri's. Daniel, if you're not going to accept it, we might as well break this friendship and stay as enemies. I'm not dumping Demetri just because you _are_ jealous and you want me to yourself. I'm sick of being the cause of jokes and fights or talks of the school. Demetri and I are staying together and we are going to face the music in school. Anyway, what are the rumors?" I say as I flip through a close by magazine.

"Fine. The friendship's over. I now know that you lied to me and you never really liked my company." Daniel storms towards the door.

"Whatever you want to think. Before you go, what are the rumors about?" I don't get a response unless you call a slamming of the front door a response. "We are going back to school and we are going to complete it. We're leaving this year so we don't have to go for much longer. We've had two months without school."

"Sure. I'll just tell our parents. Daniel is such an envious git, ain't he?"

"He's always like that when it's the rarity event of me speaking to other boys. He is a very envious git. You should've seen him when it was the run up to the spring dance. Oh my God! I'd never seen him act so protective over me before."

"I'm sure I beat that now. He's nothing compared to anything I've seen before." Demetri lands beside me, placing his arms across the back of the sofa. "You sure do. Daniel's protectiveness over me is nothing compared to yours." I throw the magazine to the end of the sofa.

"Shall we get packing before the others arrive?" I catch a glimpse of mischief in his eyes.

"If you want. Remember, we're only allowed a single bag each. Pack plenty of underwear and trousers." I let Demetri pull me up. He leads me towards his bedroom, locking the door behind him. I run a hand through my hair.

I open my suitcase and I quickly scoop out all my bras and panties into a pile next to me. I next take out my pairs of jeans, two t-shirts and a pair of leggings I had strangely packed. I put on some panties and then, my best pair of jeans. I pack the rest neatly into a bag, leaving plenty of room at the top for me to tie it. I chuck the bag at the door where Demetri's was, not even half full. "Is that enough for you? Don't you need some more jeans or boxers than what's in that bag?" I put my hands in Demetri's front pockets and my head against his back.

"No, it's enough. I'll be in my wolf form for most of it anyway."

"Don't do that. I'd be on my own apart from April and Marco."

"I need to because I'm going with my brothers to mark the path for when Belladonna arrives in America. If she arrives." Demetri corrects himself quickly. "Do you have to? Does she even recognize your scent? I can't smell anything." "You're a new wolf. You haven't practiced your new abilities yet so you wouldn't see anything different, smell anything different or hear anything different yet. Once you're trained, you'd be eating those words and you'd be able to see that you and me are meant to be."

"Very poetic, that last sentence. How do I trigger the first turn into a wolf?"

"We'll do that. One of us will make you pissed unlike never before and then, you'll begin to turn."

"I think you'd do that very well. We're not going back to school yet I take it."

"Not yet. Once we've found Belladonna and she's safe, we're not going back to that Hellhole. Could you imagine what it felt like to have every girl drooling at the sight or sound of you? Only one girl made my head turn." Demetri made me face him and placed his mouth over mine. My hands glide over his chest and they worked on undoing his jeans.

He pulls away a centimeter. "You want to be claimed right now?" He lets his hands slide down to the third button on the shirt. I really do have to think about this kind of thing before doing anything. Do I want to be claimed by Demetri right now? Not really but I want him to fuck me ever so badly. I let my hands fall from his jeans.

"Not to claim, just to fuck." I admit. He nods and places his lips back on mine; letting his hands carry on unbuttoning my shirt. I feel it fly apart. Demetri leaves my lips and presses kisses down the middle of my chest until he reaches my belly button. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not going to claim you nor fuck you. I'm going to seduce you until you melt then we shall join my siblings and get the plan into action." Demetri breathes onto my lips. A smirk lifts my mouth a little.

"Why not fuck?"

"My family's tradition prevents me to do so." He redoes his jeans and places his hands on my waist, caressing my neck with his lips.

"What haven't you filled me in until now?" I push him away and do my shirt up.

"Not allowed to use protection on the first fuck. My family has done it for generations. So, on the first fuck, no protection allowed. After that, you can." "Either way, you claim me. First fuck or just claiming."

"Yes, either way I claim you." He opens the door and grabs the bags. I shake my head. "Not yet, hey?" He lets out a dry laugh. I know the next two words. _Not ever._ Why did I ruin that perfect moment? I was about to be fucked by Demetri! "Demetri, wait." I reach my hand out to him.

"Yeah?" He turns his head.

"I do want you to claim me but I don't know when the right time is. I really, really do want to be claimed by you but, I'm worried about the timing and who would ruin it." I cross my arms and keep my head down.

"Whenever we're alone in a building or a house, cottage, hotel, forest or a room would be the right time. Right now, my siblings aren't in and no one's around."

"What if somebody stumbles upon us or appears out of the blue on us on purpose? They can do that anywhere."

"That won't happen. Others would ignore us if we're in a tent and the other animals or shifters will know by scent, Hell. Even other supernatural creatures will leave us alone."

"Max wouldn't. He'll try to find me and once he does," I shake my head. I couldn't bare the thought of Demetri being killed by Max. "He'd try to kill you and then rape me. Don't say he won't do it because he will. Now that he's found me again, he won't stop until he's got me, I promise you Demetri, he won't."

"I promise you he won't even get close to that chance. Max will be killed before having the chance of killing me or getting you. I will accept his challenges or challenge him over and over just to get that into his head. You are mine, no one else's, it doesn't matter if I have or haven't claimed you."

"You can't fight forever though! Demetri, I love you and I'd shoot myself if anything bad happens to you. Listen to me. I know Max better than you and he will kill you when he gets a chance." I rush up to him and grasp his shoulders. "Whatever you do, deny the challenge and don't challenge him. Just walk away with me in your arms. Do you hear me, Demetri Cicada?"

"Of course I hear you but I am not going to back down from a challenge. I will be deemed as dishonorable and my family will shun me more than I already am. If Max wins a challenge and gets you, I will train harder until I am stronger and faster than him and I'll win you back. You have to follow what we have as rules and have accepted we are who we are. We can't change our ways just for one person. I love you too, Tenebrae but we have to follow the rules and accept the ways. You might be a new wolf and I know all of this is hard for you to follow but it'll become clear to you soon enough hopefully." Demetri strolls down the stairs. I shake my head.

He doesn't understand that I'm trying to protect him from what Max is liable to do. Demetri will be lucky if he got away barely alive. Max is the type of person who will fight till the death unless somebody stops him. I wish Demetri wouldn't follow the ways of the wolves for once, I wish he takes heed of my warnings and I wish he didn't give so much shit about being shunned by his family. Sometime on this trip, I will be claimed by him. I want to be known as his unless I'm won in a challenge fair and square.

"Come on Tenebrae! We're leaving now!" Demetri shouts, I take a deep breathe and skip downstairs and into his arms. There were the Jeeps from before. I could see April and Kaleb sitting in the back of the front Jeep, in between them were a bag full of baby stuff and Marco in the baby seat. Kyle was in the passenger seat of the first one, Thorn in the driver's seat. In the second Jeep, Quinn was in the passenger seat and Isis in the drivers. In the back seats, there were bags and poor Lucas squashed against the door. "I'll be back in the minute." Demetri tells me before running off. I hear the doors being locked with the windows and the curtains being drawn. A Dodge Challenger in black pulls up in front of me.

**Chapter 9**

I open the boot and place the bags in there. In the boot, there were weapons like guns, swords and bows with arrows. I gulp hard before closing it and getting in the passenger side. A walkie talkie is in Demetri's hand.

"Right. Here's the plan. We're going to the coast and leaving our scent there, we've left Demetri with the house keys and the only emergency cell phone. The rest of us have normal cell phones and these walkie talkies. We're going to the coast and begin Tenebrae's training. Lucas will stay in the car while we are doing that with Quinn with him. We need as many wolves as we can in case of battle." Isis's voice crackled on the walkie talkie.

"What if she arrives at our house, having followed the scent, and finds we're not there?" Kyle's voice crackles this time.

"Two of us will stay in America and they'll return to the house every evening. Belladonna will stay until the evening and then go to hunt or something and return again. We're the only ones who can help her. We'll pick the couple once we've trained Tenebrae or as her training continues. If her training overruns, we will leave her with Demetri to finish training."

"How long have we got to train Tenebrae?" Demetri asks, his hand tightens on the steering wheel. I keep my eyes on the passing houses.

"I say about a couple of weeks. We've got to prepare Lucas for his training too and we need to talk about where we shall hide Belladonna once we've found her. Tenebrae's training should be nothing more than a few weeks due to those restrictions." Isis's voice sounds like it was regretting those words. Will I be able to learn how to control my wolf within a few weeks? As Isis said, preparing for the training takes years. How long does normal training usually take?

"That's not enough time. We won't be able to train her in that. It usually takes two years to completely get a new wolf to be trained. Tenebrae defiantly won't be able to do it in a few weeks."

"We have to try, Demetri! Only all of us can help up to a certain day but then, you're on your own." Isis is defiantly regretting leaving Demetri with me. "Fine. I'll try to train her within the limited time. After how many days are you going? Is April and co. staying with me and Tenebrae?"

"Lucas is going to be staying. April and co. aren't, they're coming with us."

"Wouldn't they be safer with me and Tenebrae?"

"They would but they are so stubborn so they're coming with us." A light chuckle finally follows out of Isis and Demetri. I look at Demetri; his smile was real this time.

"Why is our family so stubborn all the time?" Demetri asks as a joke.

"That'll be because we're family. It's in the genes." The joke was reversed.

"Damn it! I thought I was free from the stubbornness! I just remember April, Kaleb and Marco have moved next door." I wave at Kyle through the windscreen. He shakes his head and puts up his middle finger. What had I done to him?

"Ha! Ha! Up yours for trying to forget us!" April giggles through the walkie talkie. Demetri places it down and concentrates. He makes sure it was off before looking at me.

"So, I'm in charge of your training when they leave. You going to obey my command?" His mouth on one side lifts up.

"I might. Why? I thought the bitch was the controller." I murmur straight into his ear. He shakes his head.

"Not this time, she ain't. You better obey or you'll be a bad, bad girl." I hate role plays but with Demetri, they're actually quite good.

"You'll do what exactly?" I push myself away and keep my eyes on him. The challenge arises in his eyes. What was a role playing question now became an open challenge and a possible chance for him to claim me.

He doesn't say anything; he just raises an eyebrow and places his hand on my thigh. I interpret that answer as: _I'll do things you can't imagine to you._ The thought made me gulp.

A couple hours later on the highway, we reach a little off track road and we follow that until we reach a meadow. There were cottages here, five cabins in all. My eyelids feel heavy after five minutes of having them open. It was dark outside and the only light was the cars. Demetri gets out and slams the door. It was chilly outside. I undo my seat belt and close my eyes again. I can hear everybody getting out of the Jeeps and then running towards one of the cabins. My passenger door is opened and a hand touches my shoulder.

"Tenebrae, come on. We need to unpack." Demetri leaves me and opens the boot.

I lift myself out of the car and make my eyes focus on something. I didn't know what exactly; I can actually see everything in perfect detail. The trees, the ground, everything and everybody. Demetri struts towards me, his hands full. I close the boot and lock the car as I follow him into the cabin farthest away from the rest. The bags were on the sofa and the lights were on everywhere. The cabin's living room is what you expect a cabin's living room to look like. A wood burning open fire, a furry rug, a single sofa facing the fire, another sofa under the little square window and a coffee table. The doorway lead to the kitchen.

"Demetri, where are you?" I climb the stairs, not making a sound underneath my feet. Strong wood.

"In the bedroom. Can you bring those bags up please?" He replies, sounding more distant than normal. I go back downstairs and pick up the bags. Something in his bag catches my eye. I sneak a peak into his bag and I found a condom. Was he planning to rape me or something? I bit my lip and quickly skip upstairs, finding him in the biggest bedroom. It too had an open fire and a small window with curtains this time. The bed was king-sized and looked very, very warm. Demetri was looking out of the window. There were drawers underneath the window.

I put the bags on the bed and cross my arms, holding the condom. "Demetri, my love, do you care to explain this?" I wasn't planning to have sex with him during this 'trip'. He turns and freezes at the sight of the condom. Then shrugs.

"What do you expect? I always come prepared." It was another one of his sick jokes. I drop the condom and grimace.

"That's not even worth thinking about." I cover my ears to block out his laughter. "You did ask for it. Isis and the others are waiting for us in the cafeteria to talk about the next step." Demetri grabs my hand and leads me towards the very first building. It was quite big compared to the cabins.

Isis and the others were waiting for us. Lucas was sitting next to Isis. We sit down and we don't speak.

"The next step of the plan is to leave our scent around here and then, lead it back home. Even if we go by car, Belladonna should recognize our scent. Kyle, Quinn, Kaleb, Thorn and I will do that. Demetri and April, you stay here and start Tenebrae's training. Lucas, stay in our cabin and don't mess around. If you get bored in our cabin, you can go outside with Demetri and April but they will be busy so don't bother them. Is that okay with everyone?"

"Sure. After how many days will you be leaving me with Lucas and Tenebrae to go to Bermuda? I need to plan out how many hours of training I'll do with her and food and all that." Demetri leans forward, his hands locked together and his stare was very supportive in what he said. I know exactly what he wants to plan out instead. I hope Lucas won't be such a big problem.

"Sure. We'll be out of your way just to place our scent for about four to ten days and then after that, we'll stay for three days and then leave. We don't know how long we'll be in Bermuda for." Kyle informs us now. Isis backs this up with a nod. "So you have enough time to have her." Kyle adds. Demetri races to him, Kyle stands in time to deflect his attack. Demetri is pushed off and in mid-air, turns into his wolf.

"Stop it, both of you!" Kaleb shouts, standing between Kyle and Demetri. Demetri growls at Kyle. "It's been a long day for all of us. Demetri, ease down. Go and get some rest. It'll be another long day."

"More like long night." Kyle murmurs under his breathe.

"Kyle!" Isis snaps. I get up and storm towards Demetri.

"Stop reacting to every little joke they make. It's making it worse." I murmur to him once we were out of the building. I place a hand on his back and glance behind me. Kyle was standing at the door with his arms crossed. His bright eyes locked onto me. I gulp hard; I hope Kyle wasn't in love with me.

Demetri goes straight upstairs when we reach our cabin. I stay downstairs and sit in front of the unlit fire with my knees against my chest. Kyle was staring at me since this morning. I'm getting paranoid about it now. Kyle's eyes have constantly been on me throughout the journey here and as I left with Demetri. He does know that Demetri and I are officially together. Does Kyle look to claim me because his younger brother hasn't? Is Kyle actually attracted to me, as in life mate attracted? I rush upstairs and almost run into Demetri.

"Slow down. What's the rush?" He asks, holding me steady. I shake my head. "Tenebrae?" He leads me inside the bedroom and locks the door.

"Was Kyle staring at me throughout the journey here?"

"Yeah, it was nothing though. He's just trying to wind me up."

"He was staring at me as we left the cafeteria. It might be paranoia but I think Kyle's attracted to me, not just a crush but life mate attracted."

"No, he's just doing it to wind me up. He does it all the time."

"How many times do you have a life mate? I'm being serious, Demetri. If you think about it, those jokes he makes could be aimed at what he wants to do to me."

"You're looking too much into it. I wouldn't worry if I was you, he's just pissing around as usual." Demetri takes his jeans off and lies down under the covers. I turn out the lights and take my trousers and shirt off before getting into bed with Demetri. I purposefully place my head on his chest.

"Demetri, I want you to claim me during this trip." I admit at last. I push myself onto my arms and get on top of him. He places his hands on my waist and stares at me. "Say something." I tell him.

"Are you sure you want me to claim you during this trip?" He asks after a while.

"Yes, I'm sure. I want everyone to know I belong to somebody and I'm not available. I especially want Max and Jay to know I'm not available any more." Demetri reverses the position so he's on top of me.

"Do not mention them again until I've forgotten about them." Demetri slants his mouth across mine. I make my hands search for his but they found his legs instead. His knees were at their usual place, my hips. I could see his hands were next to my head. I bring my hands up onto his back, trying to get every single detail of his muscle before gripping onto his shoulders. His tongue slips into my mouth and we explore each other mouths, Demetri presses me further and further against the bed. I moan into his mouth.

His hands creep down my bare back, reaching down to my panties. "I ask you before I can't control myself any further. Are you sure you want to be claimed during this trip?" He pulls away for a second. I nod, smiling.

"I'm absolutely sure." I lift my hips up and grind them against his. Demetri tears away any clothing and he kisses my breasts and stomach before placing his kisses back on my mouth. His hands reach my thighs and I gasp. Demetri doesn't pause to ask me if I'm okay because he knows I'm fine. He goes slowly at first. It stung but it slowly went. I grip his shoulders harder and he quickens his pace. I lock my hands on his back and Demetri suckles on my neck. The motion of that mixed with his thrusts made me claw at his back.

Demetri forces his mouth downwards. I feel him stop at my breasts, kissing and suckling them equally. This is so good, I have to admit it. It isn't what I imagined it to be, it's much better. Demetri raises his head for a moment and his thrusts become harder, I could feel him boring into me, deeper and deeper.

"Are you okay?" He interrupts softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What about you, are you-" He places his index finger over my mouth and we both scream. Well, Demetri groans and shudders, I scream.

"I feel much better after that." He replies. I raise my hips again and I can honestly say it took the sex to a higher level.

**Chapter 10**

A soft shaking makes me wake up. I make my eyes flutter open and I notice I'm on Demetri's chest. I look up. He was smiling at me. "Time to get up. Early mornings to begin your training." Demetri says, running a hand through his hair. I go under the covers, down to his crotch. "Hey, I'm serious. We have to get up." Demetri lifts the covers and shudders. I lick around _him_ and suck for a while. "Oh God, that's good. That is so good." I hear him groan, another shudder goes through him. I smile and lift my head up, keeping my hand on his crotch.

Demetri grabs my hand and presses his mouth harshly against mine. "Demetri, do we still have to get up?" I ask, tightening my grip. He rolls me over and takes my hands, thrusting inside me harder and faster than last night. I take the answer as a no and we both scream/groan at the same time.

There was a fierce knocking on the cabin's front door. I rush to it, only in my underwear, and open it. "Hey, Isis." I greet.

"Hurry up and get dressed, we have to get you training. You have to be up by five in the morning, every morning if you want to be a wolf within the few weeks we have." Isis turns on her heal and leaves. I close the door and jog upstairs. I quickly have a shower and get changed into jeans and a simple black top. Demetri waits for me at the front door, wearing similar clothes to what he wore yesterday.

We go outside and everyone's already in wolf form apart from Isis, April, Kaleb, Marco, Lucas and Demetri. Kyle, Thorn and Quinn ran off when we arrived. "Right, Tenebrae, what is the most hated thing to you?"

"It would obliviously be my Dad's killer, Max and Guy from school." I tell them. Demetri nods at Isis and Isis smiles.

"Just to let you know, Max was your Dad's killer."

"How would you know?"

"Because I was there when Max and a couple of his friends planned it. He planned to kill your Dad, get close to you via your mom. I was there when it was all planned and put into action." Isis spits, I begin shaking with anger.

"Also, I'm friends with Guy. I told him to take the piss out of you; I just wanted to see what you reacted like. I wasn't too sure if you could take the harsh jokes I came up with, especially what your mom had done to you and your past." I suddenly howl out in pain and I can feel my bones breaking, enlarging and my anger being revealed as a snarl. Isis looks at April and Kaleb, nodding. My senses were making my head reel. So many new scents, touches, sights and sounds. Too many to take in. Demetri. I can see him in full light now. He was mine, my life mate and I was his. I can feel that. I begin to run, making sure all four legs were working.

I look to my side, Demetri was besides me. _Turn back and turn back to human form, Tenebrae._ I can hear his voice in my head. I do as he says and in mid-leap, I calm down and land on my back, hitting the ground with full force. I cry out in pain as I sit up. "She didn't go after any of us, she didn't turn and run because she wouldn't have come back otherwise and she turned into human form quickly. Tenebrae might be in control of her wolf already."

"When will I be able to transform and not be in pain and whenever I like?" I push myself up off the ground; Demetri appears a couple seconds later.

"That'll be in time. The more times you change, the less painful it'll become." April intercepts before anyone can speak. "If you change every hour, every day, you'll be like us within the few weeks."

"What about food and all that?"

"We'll do that after you've recovered from your first transformation."

"No, might as well do it now."

"You hunt it down. Did you smell deer will in wolf form?"

"I don't know." I get the anger to bubble again and I ignore the pain and the sounds as I turn into the wolf. Demetri and Isis are also in their wolf forms. _Sniff the air and you'll be able to smell the rich meat of that is deer._ Isis informs me. I take a deep sniff of the air. I can smell my life mate, I can smell Isis, April, Marco, Kaleb, Kyle, Thorn, Quinn and Lucas. There's a rich, meaty smell to the air too. That must be the deer. I lurch forward, hoping to find it. Demetri and Isis are always at my side. I find the deer and without a moment's hesitation, I snag it. I have my teeth around it's neck and it was limp.

_Well done, Tenebrae. You controlled that instinct pretty fast. It took most of us two months to control it. _Demetri encourages. What was the instinct? _The instinct is to locate and kill the prey, only animals though._ Demetri answers my question. I prick my ears up at the sound of leaves being rustled. I run towards Kyle, he was hiding in the bushes. I laugh as I knock him to the side. I turn back to human without thinking and laugh again. This was so fun!

"Do you think Tenebrae's one of a kind? At this rate, she's going to master everything that took us two years." Demetri asks Isis.

"Let's do the fighting then." Isis places a hand on my back. "You seem to be learning the basics quickly so, let's get onto the advanced stuff."

At sunset, we stop training. I was tired and exhausted. All of us were. Learning how to defend yourself in human and wolf form was not easy. Demetri and I retire to our cabin for the entire night. He covers his eyes with his arm as I shower.

"Did I do well?" I shout, trying to be heard above the shower.

"Better than expected. You are magnificent, Tenebrae, one of a kind for sure!" Demetri replies, his arms wrapping around at my waist. I turn my head and his lips plant on mine.

"Is that good or bad, being one of a kind? Will I be trained by the time the time limit is up?" I place my hand on his cheek.

"It's good, vey good. You will be trained by then. You'd be trained in the areas we were trained in and maybe, even more. Remember, you have to keep changing into your wolf form, at least once every hour. We all did and look at us."

"Don't worry, I won't forget." I turn fully around in his arms and his hands hold my thighs as he forces me against the wall. "Only if you remind me."

"I'll try to remember myself." He grunts and presses his body against mine as hard as he can.

I wrap my arms around his neck and scream, making my nails dig into the palms of my hands. Demetri kisses underneath my jaw so seductively and so tenderly, I gasp again. I grab his hair and force his head back, placing my mouth on his and without a moment's hesitation, my tongue down his throat. He shudders violently and moans. I freeze as I can feel another wave of organism coming. I let go of Demetri's hair and scream into his mouth. He pulls his mouth away from mine and concentrates on my neck. I've never felt like this before. I feel whole and I feel like a stuffed bear. This is wonderful, sensual and just so… fulfilling. I now know what the phrase 'perfect sex' means. This sex Demetri and I have is more than perfect, there's no word to describe it. It's just beyond perfect.

"There's someone here." Demetri mutters as he puts me down. I nod and wrap a towel around me. Wow, I feel like I can't walk anymore.

"Do you know who?" I turn off the shower and dry myself quickly before wrapping the towel around my head and putting my underwear on. Demetri puts on his jeans and stalks towards the front door.

"Not yet. I know it's not any of my siblings because I would've smelt them. It's someone who isn't from our pack."

"Is it the same kind of shifter?" I follow Demetri closely. I sneak a look from the window and it was Max. "It's Max!" I hiss, running out of the back door. Demetri growls and slams the door shut.

"Run for Kyle, Thorn and Quinn. Get Kyle to stay with you and the other two to go and get everyone else up. I hope you're ready to put your defensive training into use." Demetri turns into his wolf form and sneaks around to the front. I run towards the other cabin closest to us. I crash on the door. Kyle opens it.

"Max is here. You have to keep with me. Quinn and Thorn have to wake the others up." I tell Kyle quickly. He nods. Quinn and Thorn already disappear past me.

"We have to help Demetri. He can't handle Max on his own, he's too powerful. Tenebrae, stay in the cafeteria with Lucas and Marco. April and Kaleb have no choice but to fight too." Kyle makes sure it's safe before making me run over to the cafeteria. Lucas and April meet me. Marco was still sound asleep. "Look after my baby, Tenebrae." April tells me before there were snarls everywhere. I spot them all, fighting. I hurry Lucas inside before locking the doors. It was cold inside and I manage to find some blankets to keep Marco and Lucas warm. I search for candles or oil lamps but I couldn't find any yet.

There was a crash and the sound of glass breaking. I hurry in; Lucas had Marco and hurried to me. It was a bag, but with what in?

"Get into the kitchen and stay there until I arrive." I tell Lucas, he runs. I pick up the bag and it was full of diapers, wipes, bottles, blankets and clothes. Also, there were some candles at the bottom of it with matches. I relax and go back into the kitchen. Marco was about to cry. I take him off Lucas and try to keep Marco quiet as long as I could as I wrapped him in a blanket and lit two candles. Lucas was frightened and to be honest, so was I. "Lucas, you must listen to me. If a bad man comes into here, run with Marco and his bag and don't look back. I'll find you. Just run like never before. The bad man wants me and so, he shall have me. Do you understand? Repeat it."

"If the bad man comes in, run with Marco and his bag. Just run, don't look back. You'll find me. Run like never before." Lucas repeats. I smile. If this is what a mom feels like, sign me up. The nights of waking up because of the baby is always worth it in the end. I hide the tears and jump at the sound of a crash against the doors. I see Lucas stand up, picking up Marco and the bag. I hurry him towards the back exit, opening it for him. Another crash.

"Tenebrae, run!" Demetri's voice shouts through the doors. I'm about to run out with Lucas but the door slams shut.

I'm not able to open the door again. "Run!" Demetri shouts again.

"Go and hide in one of the cupboards. If Marco cries, give him a bottle and I'll get to you as quick as I can." I whisper to him as he runs off, in search of a cupboard to hide in. I take a deep breathe and open the doors. Max stalks in, not in wolf form anymore. I retreat backwards, pushing past chairs and stopping against a wall. "What do you want, Max? Why are you here?" I ask, having trouble to keep in my tears. Max grabs my throat.

"You know exactly what I want. That little pest has claimed you though. It shouldn't be any trouble though; I can still have you, put my scent inside and over you."

That didn't sound too good. "It'll send that pup ballistic. I almost claimed you once; I will claim you as my own this time. I don't care if you are already claimed; I am claiming you once more." Max growled into my ear. I swallow hard. "Why are you so adamant on claiming me? I'm nothing special to you."

"You don't know who I am, do you?"

"Yes, you're Max, my mom's boyfriend." I kick his crotch, Max keels over and I run towards the door. The door slams shut. I run to the kitchen and try to hide in there. I grab a pan and hold it tightly in my hand, ready to use if I needed to. I keep my eyes and eats out for any sign of Max.

"Tenebrae, that's wasn't very clever of you." Max takes the pan out of my hand and thrusts me to a wall. "You're usually clever, what's gotten into you lately?" He smirks as he threw the pan away. It hit the cupboard and a frightened squeak came from it. Max turns and stalks to it, I wait for Lucas to run to me, Marco in his arms. Max opens it and Lucas did exactly what I predicted. He came straight to me, Marco now in my arms. Lucas wraps his arms around my waist and buried his face into my top out of fear. I clutch Marco close to me, trying to protect them both from Max. "Well, well. You never told me about these two. Whose children are they?"

I look at them both. Taking a deep, I place a hand on Lucas's head and step forward, hiding him behind me.

"Mine, Max. I'm their mom, Demetri's their dad. What are you going to do now?" This was a big risk I was taking. I was putting my life on the line.

"Don't lie to me. I would know if they were yours, they're not. Whose are they?" Max steps forward again. "Tell me before I place this knife so deep into your stomach, you won't be able to have children of your own." He wasn't lying. Max had placed a knife against my stomach underneath my top.

A wolf knocks Max down and I run for it, Lucas following. I run outside and April meets me. She takes Marco out of my arms.

"Thank you, Tenebrae. Come on, let's get somewhere safe." April grabs my hand and leads us into the woods. Everyone was there except for Demetri. Lucas runs to Isis and she holds him tightly. April and Marco are surrounded in Kaleb's arms. Kyle nods towards me. Quinn and Thorn are mucking around again. They all had wounds but they weren't bad. I smile to Kyle before turning around, placing a hand on my stomach. Blood.

Max had cut me. I lift up my top and examine the damage. I couldn't tell if it was deep enough to stop me from having children of my own. I press both hands to the wound, keeping the pressure on it so I don't loose so much blood. I collapse to my knees. Kyle kneels in front of me and pries away my hands; he lies me down and presses his hands to my stomach instead of my own. "Go get Demetri, now!" April shouts. I shake my head while trying to sit back up.

"I'll be alright. I'll go and get Demetri." I push away Kyle's hands and stagger to my feet. I feel dizzy but I'll be able to make the journey.

I keep keeling over as I try to walk. Kyle firmly places his hands on my arms to lift me up but on the fifth time, he carried me in his arms back to one of the cabins. April, Isis, Quinn, Thorn and Kyle were there. Lucas had Marco in his arms, sitting on the stairs. Kyle lies me down on the sofa. The blood hadn't stopped yet. Isis returns with a first aid kit, Quinn gets out the bandages and a needle and thread. Kyle holds my hand and April lifts my top high enough to only see the wound.

"Thorn and Isis, go and get Demetri. He needs to be dragged away from fighting you know who and support his life mate. Tell him she's going to be in critical condition if he doesn't." April shouts this time.

I can feel everything going black and numb. I feel a sharp prick in my skin, followed with a new pain. I scream out in pain. Kyle holds my hand tighter.

"Shush, Tenebrae. This needs stitches. Stay still and be quiet." He tells me. I tighten my grip on Kyle's hand as Quinn does the second stitch.

"Why didn't you tell me straight away?" Demetri's question roars. Kyle moves out of the way, Demetri's hand replacing his. "Oh God, Tenebrae. I didn't mean for the knife to cut into you. I should've been more careful but I wasn't having him threaten you like that." Demetri murmurs.

"It's pretty deep but nothing that won't do any permanent damage." Quinn informs Demetri.

"I'm such as stupid bastard. A reckless, careless, stupid bastard." Demetri presses his forehead against my hand.

"You are my stupid, careless, reckless bastard and nothing can change that." I manage to say. My eyes flutter open and I smile at him. My eyes close again, the darkness almost consuming me.

"And you're my Tenebrae." I heard Demetri say before the darkness overwhelms completely.

**Chapter 11**

I feel like I've had a hangover. My head throbbed like never before. I try to sit up but a hand pushes me back down. "You're not going anywhere for the moment." It was Demetri. I look at him. He was wearing only his boxers.

"Why not?" I ask, his face was full of shock.

"Don't you remember what happened last night?"

"Not really. What did happen?"

"Max came, cornered you in the cafeteria with Lucas and Marco. They hid in a cupboard. Max had placed a knife to your stomach, I knock him over. The three of you escaped with April and, well, just look at your stomach." Demetri sits down next to me on the bed.

I lift up his top I was wearing and I see stitches. Yeah, it all comes back to me. I begin to cry when I remember what it felt like to be a mom when I was looking after Lucas and Marco, then to have Max threaten me with taking that chance away. I guess he did. Demetri hugs me tightly, letting me cry into his shoulder. "What are you crying for?"

"I feel like a mom when I look after Lucas and Marco, I love that feeling. It felt great last night but then Max had to make a threat about taking that chance of becoming a mom away. I guess he did. I remember it being a deep wound."

"No, he didn't take that chance away. It was a deep cut but it wasn't deep enough to stop you from becoming a mom. I didn't know you felt that way when you looked after Lucas and Marco. You should've told me."

"I can still have children?"

"Yeah. You can still have children." Demetri brushes away a few stray hairs.

"I want a child, Demetri."

"Now?" He stares at me.

"Yeah." I admit. He smiles, shaking his head.

"It's the wrong time to get pregnant, Tenebrae. Maybe once all of this is over including Max and Jay, then yeah, we can start a family."

"I want that feeling of mom to stay. I love that feeling."

"I can arrange for us to look after Lucas and Marco more often if you want. I'm sure Isis and April won't mind. They've both seen how we could be good parents." Demetri presses a kiss to my forehead. "Get some rest. You lost a lot of blood last night; you're weak at the moment." He places his head on my heart. It was a steady drum beat. I close my eyes and take deep breathes.

"Will that mean we'll be using condoms now?" I let out a dry chuckle.

"Yeah, we'll be using condoms now. You have to be on the pill." Demetri chuckles too. I don't reply.

"Demetri, can I get up now?" I ask, it was two days after my stomach had been badly cut into. The stitches have come out and I've got a scab over the place. Demetri pops his head out of the bathroom, his hair wet and his shoulders bare. _Yum. Naked Demetri._ I joke in my mind. Demetri studies me. I had my left leg bent, sitting up. I lower my leg since it was aching.

"I suppose so. You have to ask Quinn, he's the doctor around here." Demetri turns off the shower and walks out, a towel hung low on his hips. I throw the covers to one side, getting up like nothing was wrong with me and smile.

"No need. I feel fine, it doesn't hurt and I still love you."

"Glad to hear that. You going to change into a different top of mine?" Demetri asks as he takes out jeans and a top.

"No, I'll be happy in my underwear for now." I bend over and get out a new, clean pair of underwear. "I won't be long." I excuse myself from Demetri's side and get into the shower.

"There won't be any training for you for a while. The rest of us are going to train to fight and build our skills up. You'll be looking after Marco and Lucas while we train. Are you okay with that?" Demetri tells me above the noise of the shower. I stare at the wall in shock.

"Yes." I manage. I get to feel like a mom for a little while as they train. I smile to myself before getting out of the shower, a towel around me only.

"I kept in mind how much you liked feeling like a mom until you actually become one. I told Isis and April that, they said that we can look after Lucas and Marco more often and, we'd be good parents when we have our own children." Demetri goes on. I run out of the bathroom, swing my arms around his neck and kiss him deeply. He has hold of my thighs quickly, holding me against him.

"I have to repay you in someway for making that happen." I break away; he smiles and shakes his head. Soon, I get to be a mom. Until then, I'm going to act like a mom to Lucas and Marco. My heart begins to beat quicker.

"No, it's my pleasure. I want to see you happy." He lets go of my thighs, letting me down slowly. "I want everyone to be happy, especially you."

"Demetri, you are doing the most wonderful things to me. I don't know how to give you the most wonderful things back."

"Only you being alive is the most wonderful thing to happen to me. As long as you stay alive, it will always be the most wonderful thing you can do." Demetri turns his head. Isis and April were standing in the doorway.

"We did warn you about him being a die-hard romantic." Isis tells me. I laugh.

"I'd better let you go." I tell him.

"Afraid so. Soon, you'll be able to train with us." Demetri places a last kiss on my lips before going with April and Isis. Sighing deeply, I get dressed. I hear running on the stairs. Lucas rushes into the room, throwing himself on me.

"Hello you. Are you better now?" He's been a bit off since the night Max came.

"Yeah! How are you?" He asks me.

"I'm better too. I'd be down in two minutes."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Once I'm down, we can play a game or watch TV or watch the others train."

"Demetri said that you and I can cook today."

"Did he now? Let's cook some cookies, yeah?"

"And a big chocolate cake!"

"Alright then. We will need to go to the store for some ingredients though. Which means go and put your shoes on and I'll be down in a minute. Is Marco down there?" I get Lucas off me as I finish doing up my jeans. I put my shoes on as he watches.

"Yeah, he's asleep. He's not dressed though." Lucas runs into the wardrobe and gets Demetri's shoes on. "I've got my shoes on."

"Go and get your own on before I come and eat you." I run towards him. He goes downstairs. I grab a top before jogging downstairs. I pull my top over and Lucas waits for me, waving his shoes in the air. "Good boy." I bend down on one knee as I do up his shoes. Lucas was so much like Demetri. I stand up, seeing a carrier bag and a pram next to the fireplace. I search inside the carrier bag, bottles, diapers, baby wipes, baby grows and Marco's own pair of jeans and shirt.

"Lucas, can you pass me a diaper, the baby wipes, one of his vests and his clothes please?" I ask when I get Marco lying on the floor, still not awake. I undress him, trying not to wake him at the same time. Lucas places them next to me. I change his diaper and got him dressed. He wakes up once he was dressed. He smiles at me instantly. I pick him up and put his clean diapers, baby wipes and bottles into a messenger bag and put it on. "Come on Lucas, let's go to the store." Lucas takes my hand; I make sure I have my cell and my purse. I do. We go outside. Demetri and April stops, looking at me. They come over.

"Hey little man." Demetri says to Marco. April laughs. "Where are you going?" Demetri says, placing his hands on my waist.

"Just going to the store to by ingredients. Aren't we, Lucas?"

"Yeah! We're going to cook today." Lucas was so enthusiastic.

"Apparently, you said that we're cooking today. We're going to bake some cookies and maybe, something else." I inform Demetri. "Is it alright if I take Marco with me? I've got his stuff so, I'm prepared."

"Yeah, he'll like going to the store." April nods.

"Sounds good. Have you got any money? Your cell?" Demetri asks, pulling me closer.

"Yes. I've got my purse and my cell. I'll call if I need anything or I'm in trouble."

"Aren't you going to take Marco's buggy?"

"No, I'll be alright carrying him. Also, I'll just put him in the trolley."

"Okay. Have a good time. Make sure they are plain cookies. Only Lucas likes chocolate chip cookies." Demetri kisses me again. Lucas pretends to be sick at the sight. "See you later then." He turns and gets back to training.

"Is there anything you want me to get, April? It's not a problem." I ask her. "Just a loaf of bread please. The seeded one. I'll repay you when you get back. Please look after these two." April places a hand on my arm.

"Don't worry I will. I'll see you later." I go to the Jeep which had the child seats in. Isis throws the keys. I make sure Lucas and Marco are firmly belted in before driving off.

The store was over two miles away. It was reasonably crowded. I push the trolley, watching Lucas.

"Can I have this?" Lucas suddenly shouts. I turn and he was holding up a racing track. I shake my head.

"No, Lucas. We only came here to buy ingredients. Come on, sweetheart." I hold out my hand. Lucas takes it. Marco stares at the surrounding. We reach to the cooking area. I get the cooking book and flour and all that. Lucas picks out the chocolate chips and the cooking chocolate and the chocolate cake icing. Okay, he has a thing about chocolate. I place the book and the ingredients (including what Lucas's desire of chocolate stuff). I grab Marco before he could even try to reach the shopping.

"Do you want to push the trolley, Lucas?" I ask him. Without a second's thought, he starts pushing the trolley. We go to the book section. I get a book and Marco a baby book. Seeing Lucas is cooking, I'm treating Marco and myself. We go to the bread section and I pick out a loaf of bread April wanted.

"Tenebrae, is that you?" A man's voice asks. I turn around and I have no idea who the bloke is. Tall, blond hair, green eyes, baby face and slim.

"I'm sorry. Who are you?" I ask. Lucas takes my hand again.

"Don't you remember me? I'm Harvey. Your first boyfriend."

"Oh God, yes Harvey. I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you. My life has been busy, I'm forgetting everything. How have you been?"

"I've been good. How about you? Look at him. He's adorable." Harvey points at Marco. I smile. Marco hides his head in my shoulder.

"I've been busy. No rest for me. This is Marco and this little shy boy, is Lucas." "You have a family. Who with?"

"Oh no, these aren't mine. I'm looking after them while the rest of their family's out for the day. I said I would so… doing some baking with Lucas and I'm going to try to read to Marco."

"How old are they? Who are you with? I heard you were with somebody." "Lucas is about five and Marco is nearly three months."

"Who are you currently with?" Harvey reaches out to Marco, rejected again.

"I'm with Demetri Cicada. Do you remember him? The Quarterback for our football team. Yeah, me and him are currently together."

"Oh yeah, Demetri. I'm glad you're happy. What are you doing up here? Where have they gone for the day, why didn't you go?"

"It's a trip. I didn't feel too well today so, I offered to stay behind and look after the kids. I don't mind, I love playing mom."

"Lucas and Marco look so much like you. That's why I thought they were yours." Harvey goes down to Lucas's level and holds out a lolly. "If I get a hug, you can have this lolly. Deal?" Lucas hugs him. Harvey gives him the lolly.

"You can have it now but don't run around with it while it's in your mouth. You'll choke." I tell Lucas. He places it in my pocket. "He wants the mixture."

"What are you baking?"

"Some plain cookies and some chocolate chip ones. And, a big chocolate cake as a surprise though for Demetri."

"Hey. It's been good catching up. I'll see you some other time. Enjoy your day. Tell Demetri I said hey. See you later." Harvey says before leaving.

"Yeah, you too. Tell your mom I said hi. See you later, Harvey." I look down at Lucas. "Come on, let's pay for this and get home so we can start our baking." Lucas pushes the trolley towards the checkout. I get out my purse and begin loading the groceries on. Marco begins to cry.

"Do you want any help?" Lucas asks.

"No, I'm fine. Carry on loading the stuff on please." I tell him once I had Marco in the trolley and a bottle in his mouth.

Lucas carries on loading the ingredients on. I wait at the end, packing the stuff away. The woman stares at me.

"You have a very well behaved little lad there, miss." She says.

"Thank you. He'll be my brother-in-law soon. The little baby is my sister-in-law's son." I let loose. She laughs.

"They look so much like you. A little young to be having children though."

"You're the second person to say that. They're not mine though. I'm waiting until I'm older to have children."

"Do you want any help packing?" She begins to stand up.

"Er… no thanks. I've got a little helper already." I place the bags in the trolley for Lucas.

"We're baking and he loves chocolate. That's why there's so much of the stuff." I joke. Lucas holds onto the trolley, ready to push it. I grab Marco out of it and pay. "Nice speaking to you. Have a good day. See you." I tell her as we leave. I place my purse in my pocket again and hold Marco tightly. I hold onto the trolley with one hand as Lucas pushes it. Up ahead, I see a black haired guy who looked a lot like Demetri. As we draw closer, I recognize him. It was Demetri. He holds out his arms and Lucas abandons the trolley to race into his arms.

"Hey sport! Did you enjoy shopping?" I hear Demetri exclaim. I reach him. He gets Marco and hugs me quickly.

"Yeah, we got lots of stuff!" Lucas pushes the trolley out of the store, us in tow.

"How come you're here? I thought you were meant to be training." I question. Demetri wraps an arm around my waist.

"They sent me to come and get you. I swear. I'm going to train when we get back, leaving the three of you to get on with your cooking."

"Why did they send you? I see why they did. Lucas! Wait at there!" I shout quickly before Lucas could get near the road. Demetri smiles.

"I don't know. You have to ask them. Anyway, what are you baking?"

"You already know. Cookies. Some chocolate chip ones and some plain ones for you all."

"What else? Aren't you cooking anything else?" He leans close to my face, his breathe warming my skin.

"No, just cookies. Why? Do you want me to cook anything else?"

"Not at all, of course not. I just wondered what else you were cooking." I turn my head quickly to place a kiss on his lips before reaching the road.

**Chapter 12**

Demetri thrusts Marco into my arms and rush towards the road. There was a horn and screeching of tires. I risk at look. The trolley was at the side of the road, crashed and twisted. I see Demetri lying in the road. Lucas runs towards me and cries. I rush to Demetri's side, kneeling down next to him. I place my free hand on his shoulder.

"Demetri?" I ask, hoping that he isn't…isn't…gone.

"Uncle Demetri?" He sobs, I hold my arm out. Marco begins to scream into my ear. "Uncle?" He shouts. I begin to sob too. No, he can't be dead. He can't be!

"Demetri, dear? Answer us, please." I feel hands on my arms. I look up and everyone was crowding around us.

There was blood spilling over the ground and Demetri had a cut across his jaw, eyebrow and cheek. There was only trickling blood. "Somebody call an ambulance!" I scream. I hear a murmur in the crowds.

"One's already on it's way." Someone tells me. I look to Lucas, wiping my tears away.

"Lucas," I begin. "Stay here while I make a call, okay?" I stand up, Marco still wailing. I call Isis, trying to keep back my sobs.

"Hey, Tenebrae. What's wrong?" Isis answers.

"Just get to the store as quick as possible. There's been an accident." I hang up, knowing them; they'll be here within five minutes.

I go back to Lucas, hearing the ambulance. "Don't worry, Lucas. Everything's going to be okay. Demetri's going to be fine." I tell him, holding him tightly. Everybody backs away and the ambulance arrives. They rush to Demetri. "Be careful with him. He's bleeding badly but I don't know where from." I tell the paramedics. One of them comes up to me and Lucas.

"Miss, do you know what happened?" He asks.

"I think so. I was walking with him, he was holding the baby. Lucas was waiting for us at the sidewalk and suddenly, Demetri, the injured person, gave Marco to me and ran towards the road. I think he pushed Lucas out of the way and he took the full impact of the car." I explain, holding Lucas and Marco even tighter.

"Do you know who was driving the car when it happened? Are you the only related person to the injured?"

"No. I didn't. His sisters and brothers are coming now."

"It was the bad man." Lucas tells me, trying to stop the crying.

"The bad man? Lucas, are you sure about this?"

"I can't forget his face. It was the bad man."

"Who is the bad man?" The paramedic asks, I watch them as they place Demetri on the stretcher and then, onto a trolley.

"Max Woods. He was one of my mom's first boyfriends after the murder of my dad. He attacked the place we were staying yesterday night." I run a hand through my hair.

"Max Woods. We'll get a police officer on this case. Looks like it was a potential case of murder or attempted murder."

"Here's his siblings." I spot them running towards me.

"What's happened, Tenebrae? What happened to Demetri?" Kyle asks softly. I break down into tears. Isis takes Lucas and April takes Marco away. Kyle hugs me. "You'd better go with him. We'll follow behind." The paramedic who I've been talking to gets into the back of the ambulance with me. I see them climb into both Jeeps and following. I hold Demetri's hand.

"Will he be alright?" I ask.

"We don't know. We don't know the extent of the damage." He tells me solemnly. "What relation are you to this person?"

"I'm his girlfriend." I stare at Demetri. He has an oxygen mask on and he looked terrible. I shake my head, unable to keep the tears back.

When we reach the hospital, they immediately take him to the ICU. I wasn't allowed to go inside. I go outside and meet his siblings. This is my entire fault!

"Tenebrae, why aren't you in there with him?" Isis has disgust and hate on her face. She hates me now.

"They won't let me in the room. I fucking hate myself! I should've been watching! I shouldn't have been outside today! This is my entire fucking fault! I wish I never ran away on that night, if I didn't, Demetri wouldn't be in this shit and I wouldn't be entangled in your lives! I've always been a shit person, now I'm a shit girlfriend and I'm going to be a shit mom! I can't do anything right!" I shout. April shakes her head. Isis softens her face, but not by much. "I'm such a fuck up and everything I touch or love becomes fucked up too!" I break down and cry against the wall.

"Tenebrae, it wasn't your entire fault. You didn't know it was going to happen. Demetri's going to pull through, he might die for you but he won't leave life without you too. He really does want to be with you for all eternity. He loved you that much and he will still love you. You are a great person, you're a great girlfriend and you're going to be a brilliant mom when you have children of your own. Look at you with Lucas and Marco; I'm beginning to think they're thinking you're their mom. If you didn't enter our lives, it'd be boring. You are defiantly not a fuck up. We all love you and we all know it's not your fault." Quinn tries to calm me and change my mind. I shake my head.

"No I'm not or ever will be! Isis hates me at this moment! I can see by her face! I wish I'd never enter your fucking lives! I'd be living out on the streets because Daniel didn't have enough room in his house, my mom still would've ran away and Max still would've got me. If I didn't run away on that damn, motherfucking, bastard night, Demetri wouldn't be in hospital and none of this would've happened! This _is_ my entire fault!" I run away from them, running across the road and to the park. There were children laughing. It fills my heart with ache. I'd never be able to have children with the man I love because I either killed him or he hates me!

I eventually lie on the grass underneath a huge Sycamore. I let the tears flow and my hopes lower. This had to happen to me like every fucking other event in my life. I stare up through the leaves, the sunlight beams through it like spears through my heart. I feel a churning in my stomach and I turn over onto my hands and knees, ready to puke. Nothing. My stomach feels like its being squeezed, the pain was worse than any other I've experience since my broken leg. "Oh God," I mutter. I hiss in pain, not wanting to scream.

I sit back against the tree, waiting for the pain to ease. Good Lord, what was that and where did it come from? I take deep breathes before standing up, leaning against the tree still. My stomach still hurt. Why was it packing up now? I take it step by step towards the other tree, the pain eased. I carry on struggling to walk. I almost keel over when I reach the park gates.

"Oh God, Tenebrae!" I hear April shout, running towards me. I hold my hand up. "Don't worry about me. Worry about Demetri. I'm fine, absolutely fine. Any news on him yet?" I stand up straight, I see Lucas holding Isis's hand tightly.

"No, not yet. I do hope he's going to be alright." April glances towards the hospital. I nod, letting a tear trickle down my cheek.

"So do I."

_**Their Kind Is In Danger But Will They Overcome It?**_

"_This isn't real,_ I tell myself. _This is all just a dream. A bad, vivid dream which came along because I watched a rotten horror film with Daniel and fell asleep."_

After being kidnapped from her beloved and finding herself in a bit of a situation, Tenebrae finally comes to realization of how serious her life has become. She thought her life was bad enough before Demetri became a permanent reminder and savior, only now she has realized that she's in a world full of danger and secrets, living in the same time as our own world.

Tenebrae still has lot to learn with her new life and the ways of her species live. She discovers her new family has secrets, dark, deep secrets wish they wish to keep hidden. She also learns about the _Elders_, the first of their species.

With her whole family learning that the only female Elder could be alive, and in peril, they decide to race towards the female.

During their quest, they face choices which could decide the future of their kind. Tenebrae and Demetri are the only ones who can stop their future becoming bleak and separated.

_**Will they achieve their goal and save the female elder, or will time run out?**_


End file.
